September's Passion
by idolgaming
Summary: The King of Iron Fist Tournament has begun once again: repeat characters have bonded through parties during previous tournaments whilst Xiaoyu and Jin finally come to an understanding of their feelings. Formely known as "Work hard, play hard and love hard". Please review!
1. Chapter 1

It was a stifling hot September morning and the first day of the King of Iron Fist Tournament: fighters queued around the hotel complex owned by the Mishima Zaibatsu with their luggage placed behind them, some engaging one another in friendly banter and sharing their excitement as well as apprehensions whilst others waited more quietly for the reception desk to clear. The initial day was to orientate the fighters to the rules and regulations of the tournament, to familiarise themselves with the building and the styles used by other participants. Long term attenders Paul Pheonix and Marshall Law took this opportunity to skip out on the dinner provided and head over to the bar where they would host a more cheerful and social orientation involving severe alcohol intoxication. It was now the social norm for those two organise the time and place. Most of the newcomers would pass the opportunity and attend the orientation to appease staff officials. After all the gruelling training they endured just to enter the tournament, they did not want to be thrown out due to disobedience.

A tall muscular man with long auburn hair leant on his suitcase impatiently as two males at the reception desk argued over room size.

"No, I'm not sharing a bed with you Marshall!" The forty eight year old blonde rubbed the bridge of his nose with exasperation.

"Queen bed Paul!" The Chinese-American replied back with lilted pronunciation, his black eyes gleaming at the prospect.

"No." Paul said flatly, glancing behind him at the building queue. "Steve will have to get a room with Lee, I want my own bed. Anyway, stop arguing you idiot, we're holding everybody up."

"Yeah c'mon, hurry up!" The twenty one year old auburn male barked as they glanced behind them. "Some of us want a cigarette you fuckwits."

Paul glanced blankly at Marshall with no trace of comprehension across his face. "Dude…you know that was too fast for me to understand…"

Everyone was dressed in light summer wear as temperatures began to sore they became more restless stood around, seeing what was taking the reception area so long they began to murmur irritably.

"I said hurry the fuck up." The young male pushed them forward to face the reception desk, hearing the growing line behind him applaud his efforts.

"Sheesh Hwoarang." Marshall retrieved the key from the reception worker and grasped the handle of his suitcase. "You can be such an ass sometimes."

"Remember, the Blue Bar at seven tonight!" Paul called over his shoulder as the pair clattered off down the marble corridor in sandals.

Hwoarang nodded and gave the retreating pair a 'thumbs up' to signal he would be there.

The last one, despite being only two months ago, was really fun and consisted of many some fighters breaking tables by dancing on them to the staff's despair, drinking competitions and drawing with permanent marker on those who passed out; in the last tournament Lei Wulong fought against a bemused Nina Williams with faded whiskers and bushy eyebrows of the Mishima men etched on his face.

"Thank you very much sir." The receptionist interrupted his reminiscing thoughts and handed him a key to his room. "We hope you enjoy your stay here and good luck in the tournament."

_Ciggy time! Woo hoo!_ Hwoarang pulled at his case with such force it crashed at his heel as he headed outside in excitement.

The complex was large for the forty seven rooms available; it had a large extensive gym and sparring room which was a necessity, a large outdoor swimming pool with sun loungers facing it which were hardly ever used, a slightly smaller heated indoor pool and three bubbling hot tubs to soothe the pains and aches of the days training. Cuisine was a three course meal cooked to a five star standard, themed every night to accommodate other nationalities and served between the hours of 18:00 to 20:30, which everyone thought, was reasonable.

Hwoarang sat on a wicker chair and stretched his long legs to the point where a small groan in satisfaction escaped his lips; despite wearing a light fabric white shirt and blue knee length shorts they were still riding up his crotch. Taking another long drag of his cigarette and adjusting himself, he blew the smoke into the air and watched as it curled and dispersed like snake before turning to the large glass doors where someone called his name. It was a 5.'2" Chinese girl with silky jet black hair that fell on her shoulders that framed over oval face and large dark eyes which shone at recognition of him. She smoothed down her strapless floral dress and gestured for him to come over.

"No…" Hwoarang smiled and shook his head "You come here Xiaoyu." He kicked out the chair opposite him and moved his luggage closer to him.

The eighteen year old nodded happily, pulling her suitcase with Panda faces splashed mercilessly across the pink fabric with her and sat down rather clumsily into the other wicker chair.

"Smooth."

"It was, wasn't it?" Xiaoyu grinned, producing a brush from her shoulder bag and dragging it painfully through the tangled strands. "I hate travelling, especially when it's hot like this."

"I know and it's only ten in the morning." Hwoarang winced for the young woman as visible pieces of her hair came from her scalp. Xiaoyu laughed at his expression and continued to brush until she was able to run her fingers through it without getting caught. "It's weird that only two months ago we were here."

"I know." Xiaoyu massaged her scalp. "You can't do a decent amount of training in just two months, what are they playing at?"

"You know what they about Mishima's." Hwoarang crushed the stub of his cigarette into the ashtray provided. "They need to be stripped of all privileges and institutionalised 'cos they're fucking crazy."

Ling-Xiaoyu paused thoughtfully at this comment and Hwoarang mentally kicked himself: had he forgotten that the friend in front of him held the youngest Mishima, Kazama by name but nevertheless still a Mishima, in such high regard?

"My bad, I didn't think there." Hwoarang stood up apologetically and scratched at the nape of his neck in a mannerism that made Xiaoyu smile.

"Everyone knows you two don't get on." She also stood up. "Don't apologise just for me."

The pair took their cases in hand and proceeded towards their rooms which were on the same floor. Hwoarang scowled at the sheer laziness of Xiaoyu's use of elevator and decided to race her by hoisting his case in his arms and pelting up the stairs as fast as his legs could carry him. He arrived on the third floor, watching and waiting for the elevators doors to open in triumph but hung his head in defeat as Xiaoyu waved to him several doors down with her key in the door.

"What was that?" She cupped her ear playfully. "Did I win? Yes, I think I did."

"Shut up before I come over there and kick that smirk off your face." Hwoarang laughed, withdrawing his own key from his pocket and entering his room.

Xiaoyu observed Hwoarang enter the room five doors down and began to move into her own room at the sound of the door closing shut behind him.

The Mishima Zaibatsu spoilt the participants of the tournament: perhaps as a good will gesture for beating one another to a bloody pulp Xiaoyu had thought every time she entered a room at this complex. It was a large spacious room painted in beige and a feature wall of an expensive red oriental design that held the headboard of the large Queen-sized bed. The carpet was an immaculate plush cream colour that housed a thick oak wardrobe in one corner, a matching chest of drawers opposite the bed with a large mirror above it and a bedside cabinet that held a wireless phone and cradle, a red lamp and docking station/digital clock combination. Xiaoyu released her case from her sweaty grasp and threw herself on the silk cream and red sheets, mumbling softly as the bed contorted to her shape.

_How much does it cost to do this room? The docking alone is worth a fortune…_ Xiaoyu marvelled at the item on the bedside cabinet before leaping to her feet and investigating the bathroom. It was the same as last year; green and black stained marble in every inch of the space, a large gold tinted walk in shower with matching toilet and basin. The first time she came, she couldn't believe how expensive the bathroom suite was and took several pictures on her phone to show friends at Mishima Polytechnic School as proof of her adventures. Now, for the third time and in two months no less, it had less splendour and magnificence then what it did the first two times. Xiaoyu began to unpack her items into the heavy duty wardrobe and smiled at the small conversation she had with Hwoarang earlier. When she first entered the King of Iron First Tournament she automatically took a disliking to the South Korean because of his undignified and vulgar behaviour towards Jin Kazama, but as the tournaments progressed and Jin became more estranged in his ways, they began to converse more and more until Xiaoyu found herself wondering why she ever disliked him in the first place.

Sure, he was blunt and considered very rude by people, but those who had entered the tournament previously knew this was just his manner and he meant to offence to it, except one. Despite the fondness of him, she never had the courage to tell Jin that she considered his rival a friend and as far as she could she, there was no need. Jin was a peculiar young man who relished solitude and struggled to convey his emotions, unless it was anger…he was quite profound with that emotion; but she and everyone else could never predict his mood or actions he was going to take.

Xiaoyu would never and could ever deny the feelings she had for the young man who was once her peer at school. Even after the bizarre incidents of the first tournament they entered he kept in contact with her, albeit fragmented and over a lengthy time period, but regardless, it was still contact. She remembered how happy she was when she received a postcard stamped from Brisbane, Australia and recognised the neat writing on it. True it was quite a plain abstract postcard with no subtext in it whatsoever, but it made her incredibly happy that despite travelling, he took a moment of out of his life to contact her.

"Xiaoooyuuuuu?" A female voice cooed playfully accompanied by three taps on her door.

The Chinese girl hauled herself off the bed and approached the door, peering tentatively through the 'spy hole' as she called it to see who it was.

A sun kissed Brazilian girl's brown eye took all view of the hole and stared back eagerly causing Xiaoyu to jump with fright.

"Ah-ha, I heard you!" She called on the opposite side of the door, rapping it with her knuckles once more. "Come out, come out."

"Hang on Christie." Xiaoyu unhooked the chain from the door and turned the key to open her door.

Before Xiaoyu had chance to open her mouth, the taller 5.'7" girl swept down and kissed both of her cheeks in greeting. "I missed you!"

Christie was a twenty year old fighter she befriended in the last tournament. It was nice to have female company that did not bore on being promiscuous like Anna or awkward, like it was with Nina. It was just talking about miscellaneous agendas, but in particular, going to the gym and pretending to work out whilst watching some of the younger and leaner male fighters.

"Did your knight ever ask you out?" Christie beamed as if reading the younger girls mind.

She was referring to one of their perverted staring sessions where they were sat with their legs crossed in the corner, listening to music with one earpiece each and watching the men train. Christie had sent Xiaoyu a message that Jin was in desperate need of having his eyebrows waxed, plucked, threaded…just something! Xiaoyu had forgotten the purpose of texting for discretion and blurted out she thought he was perfect whilst staring at the twenty one year old Kazama. Everyone in the room had stopped and stared, including Jin, and followed her eye line to the now receded fighter and began to hoot in glee and wolf whistle.

"No…" Xiaoyu cringed just at the thought of the incident. "I don't think I saw him again after that actually."

Christine took the key from inside Xiaoyu's room and led the girl out; walking down the corridor she placed a hand over the young girls shoulder and squeezed gently. "Maybe it's not a bad thing. You know what they say about Mishima's…"

"They're wankers!" A voice boomed over them from the top of the stairs. The pair did not turn around; they knew by the English accent it was the boxer, Steve Fox.

"You think a Mishima deserves a cute Chinese girl like Xiao?" Christie winked to the blonde boxer as he approached them on the stairs.

"Ho, ho!" His tall 6.'2" frame towered over the girls, tapping Xiaoyu gently on the shoulder he smiled at them both. "I hope it's not Heihachi you had your eyes on. Necrophilia is never good."

The three of them engaged in jovial conversation until they reached the bar area and were collared by more familiar fighters.

"Hey you, how come you get two gorgeous ladies!" Paul, Marshall and Lee waved frantically to Steve who shook his head.

Lei found three more chairs and hurdled round the table with everyone else; King, Julia and Nina were already in the midst of deep conversation and barely noticed their presence. "I'm getting another beer, what're you lot having?" Lei paused before going into the complex.

"Surprise me." Steve smirked.

"One beer for you then." Lei remarked and looked at Xiaoyu expectantly.

"Hey, I said surprise man! Telling me isn't a surprise you bugger." Steve diverted Lei's attention by clicking his fingers at the police officer from Hong Kong.

"Is a beer okay?"

"Well…yeah."

"Shut up then." Lei looked at Xiaoyu with laughter as Steve in his peripheral vision scoffed like an offended house wife and promptly raised his middle finger.

"He's right you know, a surprise doesn't sound like a bad idea." Xiaoyu said, looking at Christie who was laughing at Lei's facial expression.

"Oh lord…" He rolled his eyes and headed into the complex. "Fine. But if you don't like it, it's tough."

"So what's up with Heihachi dying?" Paul interjected into the conversations with his loud boisterous voice. Everyone stopped and acknowledged the three who had joined the table without their knowing.

"I don't believe it." Nina said firmly, looking behind her shoulder at some of the hotel staff. "If he were that easy to die, he would have been dead a long time ago. I can guarantee that."

"It was a big blast though." Lee stared at the mercenaries breasts that were nearly spilling over her vest top. "A big, big-

"I'm up here." Nina covered her breasts with one hand and sipped her cocktail in amusement as the forty eight year old smiled sheepishly. "Men are such perverts."

The conversation continued for another hour and half an hour with everyone stating their opinions of the whole Zaibatsu issue when loud noises came from the entrance to the gym which was slightly ahead of them.

"What the…" Xiaoyu looked back to her peers, confused at the noise and unsure if only she had heard it, but found everyone's attention was also on the door to the gym.

"Something's going down." Paul and Steve exchanged glanced as the noise grew louder.

Suddenly the door to the gym was thrown open and a blazing Hwoarang was escorted by a rather tall and stocky member of staff.

The auburn Korean struggled against the member of staff. "Sir, calm down."

"I'LL KILL HIM, THAT FUCKING KAZAMA!" Hwoarang pulled against the man who was now struggling to keep him at bay. "HIDING IN THE GYM ARE YOU, YOU COWARD! FUCKING COWARD!"

"Please, calm down sir." The staff member said urgently, pushing on his chest gently.

"YOU'RE MOTHER WOULD BE SO ASHAMED SHE RAISED A FUCKING COWARD!"

"Oh shit." Julia whispered and stood up like a few others had done to get a better view of what was going to happen next.

Jin was a dignified and well reserved man who had a lot of patience, but as everyone knew, mentioning his mother in a derogatory manner was like waving a red flag to bull. The other member of staff who was by the door had planted themself firmly by the door, their arms stretching across the frame of the door. His body lunged backwards slightly as a recognisable red and gold studded gauntlet pushed on his body. "I don't think I can hold on much longer!" The staff member cried over to the other who was attempting to calm Hwoarang down.

"Come here and have a drink." Christie shouted to the long haired male who began to lose anger at this comment. "Save fighting for later."

"You're not worth it, fool." The group heard Jin Kazama's stern voice spit venomously to the frustrated male.

"C'mon Horang, leave it alone." Paul called, wanting him to come to them. "Have a beer mate!"

"It's Hwoarang you prat." Marshall shook his head at his bumbling friend.

Hwoarang stood still for a few moments, glaring past the security guard to the darkness of the doorway where he could see Jin walking away.

_Just wait Kazama, I'll kick the shit out of you yet_

Xiaoyu watched wide eyes as Hwoarang approached her with a chair, but he did not look at her.

"You didn't hurt him did you…?" She asked weakly, looking around and hoping no one had heard the fear in her voice.

"I didn't get to touch him." The man whispered back irritably. "I would have hurt that…I would have hurt him."

"Yo, what happened there?" Lee asked the question all were wondering with the exception of Nina and King who had disappeared at the childish behaviour. "It's day one and you're already at one another's throats?"

"Just smack talk getting out of hand really." Hwoarang unzipped a pocket and produced a cigarette, prompting Paul to do the same. "He said I would get bent over the bins around the back of the building dressed like the faggot I am." His eyes gleamed dangerously as people stifled laughter. "I am not a fucking faggot, maybe he doesn't know what a straight guy looks like anymore after the amount of times his Granddad has boned him."

"I'm leaving." Xiaoyu suddenly rose to her feet to everyone's surprise. "I think Jin is a good man and I don't appreciate you talking about him like that!" She curled her fists by her sides and frog marched back to her bedroom in anger.

"What the hell was all that about?" Christie slapped Hwoarang's shoulder in annoyance as she rose to her seat with Julia following at her heels. "You know she really likes him."

The men watched the two girls disappear after Xiaoyu and briefly discussed the ill fate of a sweet young girl with a man like him before talking about more important matters: the tournament and the throne of the Mishima Zaibatsu Cooperation.


	2. Chapter 2

Other fighters stopped wearily from their workouts and watched as Jin pounded viciously at the sandbag that was suspended in the air; it swung violently from the chain and whistled through the air as the man swerved out of its path and struck it once more from the opposite direction. The chain snapped with the excessive force and fighters ducked as it hit the wall with a loud thud. "Watch it moron!" A tall fighter with braided black hair shouted.

"Be quiet fool." The 5.'11" figure bent down wiped his sweating forehead with a towel. "If you can't take the heat then you should not be here." He turned on his heel and left for the exit before the man could verbalise another insult.

He was in a foul temper and he knew it; another tournament in the space of two months was ridiculous, coupled with the constant flow of contestants and staff alike approaching him all morning about the death of his Grandfather, Heihachi, was enough to make his teeth grind. Why did he care? Why should he care? After everything that old man had put him through. He was also anxious to see Xiao after the lack of contact he had with her at the last tournament. Females perplexed him in general without personal feelings clouding his already minimal knowledge, then it was impossible to know what to do around them, and "them" was only one, Ling Xiaoyu.

One night stands were empty for him, the climax was meaningless and satisfying the woman was pointless if he was never going to see them again. He may as well have stayed in the comfort of his own home and watched some porn. Xiaoyu had liked him, he knew that much, but at the time he had a lot of stress from family problems without wanting to add her into the mix. In the twilight of sex with those women his mind had often drifted to how it would have been with Xiaoyu…would it have been gratifying, fulfilling? He was a coward to ignore her in the last tournament and he knew it, he had been plagued by those thoughts all morning and so when a certain arrogant red head began calling him a coward over and over again he had just snapped.

Did she feel the same way? Even if she did would he act upon it? What if she did?

"Jin!" A voice called to him as he reached the outside world for the first time in five hours. It was Paul Phoenix and he stopped to hear what this classic fighter wanted to tell him. "It's the first day so you know what that means…party! It's going to be at the Blue Bar at seven so make sure you get your ass there. None of this feeling sorry for yourself because you're possessed and your whole family is shit crap, just come and enjoy yourself like you did in the third Iron Fist."

"Oh…" Jin forgot those parties were a custom tradition set up by the first ever fighters to grace the Iron Fist Tournament. He smirked at the honesty of Paul's views on his life situation and despite everything that was going on, it was nice to be invited by a fellow fighter. "I'll try."

"Ling Shi-You is going to be there." Paul lingered, hoping to see a fault in the twenty one year olds emotionless expression. Nothing.

"Ling Xiaoyu." Jin corrected before blinking in mild surprise. "She entered this tournament?"

"She's been in the last two if you haven't noticed." Paul raised his eyebrow sceptically. "It's only been two months so most of the guys from the last tournament have just refreshed their training. You're here yourself aren't you?" After seeing the Japanese man in deep thought he reminded him once more of the party and disappeared back into the bar area where Marshall, Steve and Lee were discussing Christie's choice of fighting clothes.

_Xiao…_

Jin travelled up the steps until he was on the second floor and passed a few closed doors before reaching his own at the far end. He hoped the hotel had the hindsight to put him and Hwoarang a floor apart. He unlocked the door to his room and looked around at his possessions that were already neatly folded and stored away. Regardless of his muscular frame and the perceptions others had upon him, he was a tidy man and always had been, even as a teenager, and was quite meticulous when it came to keeping an area clean. Something his mother had instilled into him from childhood. Her sun faded picture was resting on the dresser smiling up at him which in turn caused him to smile.

The docking station on the bedside cabinet told him it was two in the afternoon. There was still time to make it to the restaurant for lunch if he was quick and so he proceeded to peel the flame licked black training pants and grey boxer shorts off his sticky muscular thighs, stuffing them into a dirty laundry bag he headed into the bathroom.

The shower jets pounded down in hot waves on his lightly tanned muscular shoulders, coursing through his abdomen, over his pubic hair and flaccid shaft to his legs. It felt so good after the workout he had done this morning and he mumbled in relief as he massaged his scalp with his fingers covered in shampoo, lathering it so it fell in thick wads of foam down his body before putting his face under the water. He had to brush his wet fringe out of his hazel eyes to see the shower gel once he had finished rinsing the shampoo off and squeezed an adequate amount into his hand and began rubbing it all over his body whilst humming quietly to himself.

_I wonder what room Xiao is in…I wonder if it's near that pricks…God, I hope not. Are they friends? Everyone else who's been in the tournament seems to be good friends now…_

He scrubbed vigorously at the devil brand on his arm and cursed the wretched thing for limiting possible bonding time with other fighters, Xiaoyu in particular. Jin was never an antisocial person by nature; at school he had quite a few friends and the occasional fling with good looking female students. Since the devil branded him, he found himself becoming more reclusive and unwilling to socialise due to the sudden freakish outbursts of his devil alter ego.

A knock at the door roused him from his thoughts and he waited patiently for the visitor to go away: he certainly didn't fancy opening the door in a towel for some silly woman to gawp at him. The knocks didn't stop though and Jin growled, turning the tap off and grabbing the white towel that lay on the heated radiators.

"In a moment." He propped his hand against the door as he wrapped the towel around his waist, the knocks became more ferocious. "In a moment!" He looked into the peep hole and saw a small brunette Japanese woman he had never seen before. _For fuck sakes _Holding the towel firmly around himself he opened the door slightly and poked his head around. "May I help you?"

"Jin?" The 5.'3" girl raised an eyebrow at the man with silky black hair plastered to his face. "Jin Kazama?"

"…yes?"

"Right!" The curvaceous brunette pushed open the door with a force that took Jin by surprise. He stumbled back slightly and grasped as his towel to stop it from falling down. "I need to talk to you!"

"What are you doing? Get out!" Jin pointed towards the door angrily, watching as she sat down on the corner of his bed. "No, don't sit on my bed. I'm not interested, so get out!"

"Just listen to me."

"No, I said GET OUT you stupid woman." Jin sighed as undignified as it was to throw out this stranger when he dripping wet and in a towel, he was going to do it if she didn't move.

"My name is Asuka Kazama." She raised a hand to stop his action, but the sentence alone had already done that. Now the man stood watching her slightly confused and didn't know whether or not to believe her. "Your mother, Jun Kazama, is my auntie."

"I don't believe you." He said flatly. "Why have I never heard of you?"

"We're cousins Jin. Apparently we use to play when we were younger, but I don't know you and certainly don't want to seduce you, so don't flatter yourself." Asuka stood to her feet, placing her hands on her hips and smiling. "I'm here for my own reasons; I just wanted to introduce myself to you as it's polite."

"Er, it's nice to meet you then." Jin inclined his head in a stiff bow as was per custom that his mother taught him. She exchanged this and swiftly exited the room. "If we ARE cousins, don't expect me to go easy on you if we end up fighting."

Asuka turned on her heel and stared at him for a few moments: seeing his serious expression she burst out laughing. "Oh, you're killing me." She wiped a trear from her eyes "You are funny. Your ego is huge!"

Jin was left to watch the girl strut down the corridor in absolute confusion, when the footsteps had faded he shut the door and wondered what on earth had just happened. He took the towel from around his waist, tousling his damp hair and sprawled across the bed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello! I've forgotten to add author footnotes and disclaimers in the first two chapters as most writers have done in their stories: I own nothing of the Tekken series.**

**I just want to thank all the fan-fictional Tekken writers whose work I have read on this site so far, it encouraged me to write a little piece myself. So thank you guys.**

**Reviews, both positive and negative are more than welcome. **

The media had depicted the tournament to consist of mindless, ruthless and vicious fighters…which wasn't entirely inaccurate but when new contestants arrived through the doors to the Iron Fist Tournament there was an air of genuine surprise to see how polite and interactive most of the fighters were. Sure, most people got on with one another, and could have a fun time whilst being in the tournament, but when it came to training for their matches the nice, pleasant fighters could become quite hostile and territorial.

It was the reason for the 'party' in the first place, for old time rivals and friends alike to exchange good will with one another before the matches commenced. This did not work for every fighter, as it never would, but for most it was a nice way to catch up with everyone and to boast of their new fighting techniques (but never demonstrated) before the start the tournament. Over the years the party had transcended from a general meeting to getting drunk before the match line ups were announced the next day to attract some of the younger fighters.

It was now half five in the afternoon, Ling-Xiaoyu, Christie Monteiro and Julia Chang said goodbye to the rest of the group and began their preparations for dinner and then afterwards, the party. It was nice to see everyone dressed respectably before the fights started; it took some of the edge off the social stigma that was attached to them as fighters, even though the crowds relished in what was sometimes a blood bath.

"Right guys, this is me." Christie announced as they reached the second floor corridor. "Shame I'm not on the same floor as you guys. You would have thought they would have separated genders, wouldn't you?" A mischievous smile appeared on her face at the comment. "Who knows…it's probably more fun that way."

"Who are you thinking of?" Julia snorted. "Marshall? Paul? An old man sandwich?" Xiaoyu opened her mouth in horror at the comment and the thought.

"Ha-ha, no. Steve could be alright though." Christie pointed the second furthest door down the corridor. "That's me if you want to come collect me when you girls are ready?" She reached over and kissed the pair twice on the cheek before heading off to her room. "Ciao."

Julia and Xiaoyu rubbed their faces from the girl's affection and continued up the stairs where they discussed the possibilities of Christie and Steve hooking up. It wasn't impossible, brief flings had happened in the past, true, it was Anna who had instigated every one of the encounters as she made her way up the list of fighters.

"Right, I'll knock on for you around seven if that's okay?" Julia stopped at her door a little further up from Xiaoyu's. "I'll see you then."

Xiaoyu nodded and opened the door to her own room to relax a little before starting beginning to get ready. The petite young woman threw herself on the bed, not caring that her dress had risen up to her thighs and turned the television on to see an English movie with subtitles viewing. _Where are you Jin? I haven't seen you all day and you haven't made any attempt to see me…perhaps the postcard meant nothing after all…_ The film didn't look particularly interesting she decided and flicked through the channels whilst thoughts about Jin consumed her mind. _Bah, nothing is on. May as well have a nice long shower before getting ready._

The new fighters gathered patiently around the lobby area and watched in confusion as old fighters they recognised from the previous tournaments ignored them and disappeared up a flight of stairs to the bar area instead. Asuka Kazama stood several feet away from one of the fighters; Feng Wei, a tall twenty five year old who had been scolded by her cousin earlier that day. She could not stand the man and he was the reason for entering the tournament, any possible pleasantries exchanged between them was never going to happen.

"Where are they going?" Feng barked at a mysterious dark skinned man stood quietly next to him.

"I would presume they have heard this orientation before and feel they don't need to know it. Dressed as they are I would say they are having a social gathering."

Asuka perked up at this comment. "A social gathering? Don't be so ridiculous, we're warriors not friends." She mashed her fists together in frustration as Nina Williams walked past in a spectacular navy blue dress and felt quite envious. _Are they having a piss up?_ She continued to observe the vacant lobby for a while, lost in her own thoughts until Lei Wulong headed up the stairs in grey pants, a white shirt and tie. _Oh my god, they are SO having a piss up!_ She glanced around at the other fighters who were lost in their own and headed over to the stairs to investigate the 'social gathering'.

A bar lit up as the 'Blue Bar' in neon blue was ahead of her and jovial laughter could be heard from the room which roused her curiosity even more: laughter? In this place of all places? She smoothed down her blue training shorts and adjusted her training top and made her way to the entrance of the bar. Peeking her head around the corner she stared in bewilderment as Nina slapped an outstretched Lee Chaolan's hand away from her breasts to the amusement of Lei and Paul Phoenix.

"That one is for free. I'm not like my sister so I'll break it next time." The blonde warned as she sipped what looked like a glass of white wine.

Lee smiled heartily at the comment and glanced to the entrance to the bar where he saw a brunette concealed in the entrance. "Hello!" The sudden call made Nina jump slightly and scowled as flecks of her drink splashed on the floor.

_Shit he saw me _Asuka flinched from the cry and removed her face quickly out of sight. She debated whether or not to stay, but before she had time to move her feet a shadow was upon her.

"Well hello there my pretty lotus flower."

Asuka groaned at the comment and turned round to see Lee beaming at her. "I was just looking that's all so you can't do anything to me!" She said firmly to him, watching him with hard eyes as he mulled over what she had just said. Quickly his hand grabbed her wrist and began to pull her into the bar to her own embarrassment.

"Oh look, you've found yourself a kitten." Nina smirked as the forty eight year old came back with the young underdressed girl. Lei and Paul glanced at each other in uncertainty as Lee appeared in front of them with the girl who had a dangerous glint in her eye.

"What's your name?" Lee released her wrist and resumed his cocktail which was on the bar, sipping it and looking at her expectantly.

Asuka felt the four pair of eyes on her and straightened her posture. "Asuka. Asuka Kazama." She wondered what was wrong as the eyes widen slightly at her name, mentally preparing to fight if necessary.

"Kazama…?" Paul raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "I've never heard of another Kazama besides Jun." He suddenly began laughing and nudged Lei's arm. "I bet she's another fan wanting to catch a glimpse of Jin." Everyone began to laugh and nodded their head in agreement, watching as the teenager's face began to deepen into a blood red.

"I am NOT a fan girl!" Asuka stopped her foot defiantly, glaring at everyone as their laughter suddenly died down. "My name is ASUKA KAZAMA. I am here to wipe the floor with you all including the ass of my cousin!"

"Jin is your cousin?" Nina looked down at the aggravated fighter and offered her hand. "We apologise for making fun of you. My name is Nina Williams."

"Oh…" Asuka watched the group carefully to make sure they were not making fun of her any longer and took hold of Nina's hand firmly. "I recognise you from the other tournaments, I like your style."

"Are you staying with us to party?" Paul edged Nina to the side and offered his own hand. "Anyone is welcome so join us."

"W-why are you being so nice?" Asuka shook his hand, then Lei's and finally Lee's. "I thought this tournament was all about winning…?"

"Oh, it is." Lei smirked at her. "It doesn't mean we can't be civil and get to know one another though."

And so Asuka found herself in surprisingly good company.

Xiaoyu coughed and spluttered as the hair spray she released wildly around her hair filled her lungs. Moving away from the mirror she checked her reflection for the final time to make sure she looked perfect for the man she was so desperate to encounter; it was not certain Jin would come and it was very unlikely, but she just could not and would not take that chance.

Her hair was curled into delicate loose strands that framed her face beautifully and the black and pink dress she chose clung to her modest curves so well she stared at herself in astonishment, to believe she could ever look this good. She wore no foundation; her complex did not need it but her eyes were enhanced with a black kohl pencil and mascara, when she had finished applying this, her lashes did look twice as long and thick as the tube claimed.

_You better be there…Jin_

Three prompt knocks at the door signalled Julia was ready and it was time to make their way to the party. Xiaoyu grasped her key and flung herself excitedly onto the corridor where Julia, draped in a long maxi dress giggled. "Wow Xiaoyu!" She traced her hands over the young woman's curves. "Where have you been hiding these?"

"There is hardly anything there." Xiaoyu laughed, pushing Julia's roaming hands away. "Thank you though, you look wonderful Julia. The dress is very, very you."

The rooms on the corridor were beginning to rouse with noise as Steve and Marshall could be heard laughing from their room. Already happy with the noise of laughter echoing around them, they made their way to the floor below them which was eerily quiet compared to their floor.

Before they knocked on the door Christie's voice called out to them from behind her door. "I see you! You both look AMAZING!" She opened the door and stepped out in a very short green dress with loose strands at the bottom and shimmied herself playfully towards the pair. "Don't we look beautiful! I'm starving, let's get something to eat and then LET THE PARTY BEGIN!"

Jin eyes fluttered slowly open in the end of sleep and glanced around the still light room. "Urgh…" He mumbled, rubbing his eyes tiredly and stretched his body the full length across the bed, yawning loudly and arching his back in enjoyment. When he glanced at the bedside cabinet he saw the time on the docking station: 20:09. _Nice unintentional powernap…_ Jin stared at the numbers for a few seconds before comprehension dawned on him that the party had started over an hour ago.

_Xiao…I have no idea what to say to you when I get there, if I go…should I go? Yes. I've been putting her off for far too long, I need to put the gun to my head and get it over with. Just need to make sure I get her on her own and away from everyone else, rejection I can handle…I think… just not public rejection._

Getting up off the bed he opened the wardrobe and pulled out a pair of long black pants with the crease ironed in and a grey shirt with one black dragon snaking down the long right sleeve. When he laid them out on the bed he stopped, holding the bridge of his nose and sighing aloud. "Should I go…?" His stomach groaned loudly to remind him he had missed dinner and was in need of nourishment. _I'll just have a couple of drinks, see what Xiao is up and then go across the street for something._


	4. Chapter 4

The volume from music and conversations was growing louder at the bar as fighters ordered more drinks to the weariness of the staff on shift. Some of the staff members were new to catering for the contestants and nervous as older members whispered stories of what these classic fighters had done in the previous times they had been here. They were all live-in workers and under the orders that no matter how juicy some of the gossip was, they were in no way shape, or form allowed to take their stories to the media.

Grunts and cries of encouragement could be heard as Paul and Marshall were sprawled across the table in an arm wrestle: both were staring each other down and sweating as their bulky muscles strained in their bodies.

"C'mon, just do it already." Lee smacked Paul on the head. "You two are like GIRLS." He paused and felt a piercing gaze on the side of his head, smiling precariously as the blonde assassin rolled her eyes. "No offence."

Marshall slammed his blonde friend's fists down on the table to his own amazement, spilling their two pints of lager across the table. "Oh take that! I AM THE CHAMPION!" The 5.'10" man rose from his seat, pointing his finger in Paul's face and laughed psychotically. "MUWAHAHAHA!"

"No fair, he distracted me." Paul swung an arm viciously at Lee.

"Excuses, excuses." Marshall laughed. "Now, go get the champion another beer."

King watched the scene from his place at the bar and sighed, wondering if the man would ever learn. He rose calmly from his chair and paced over to the group of fighters, pulling a chair up and offering his hand. The man growled in his throat which everyone knew meant 'Bring it on', positioning himself firmly to defeat the so-called 'champion'.

Xiaoyu, Julia and Christie were sat in the corner with empty tall and shot glasses littered across the table. As they rose to go to the bar to get more drinks they spotted a brunette girl talking to Steve and Lei.

"Who is that?" Christie glanced at the other two, frowning as they shrugged their shoulders. "Must be a new fighter that those guys collared…" They looked at the table where some of the contestants where to see King smash Marshall's arm into the table with a large crunch, smirking as cheers erupted from Nina and Paul. "Well that was over before it even started."

"What would you ladies like to drink?" A male bartender asked them as they approached, supressing a smile as his eyes absorbed what they were wearing.

"A large Shiraz please." Christie winked as she caught him staring at her dress. "If you're lucky, you might get something later."

"Christie!" Julia laughed as the bartenders eyes widen. "Ignore her; can I have a vodka orange?"

"Make that two please." Xiaoyu smiled sweetly, pushing Christie playfully on the arm. "You shouldn't get his hopes up like that you know."

"Bah." The Brazilian girl waved her hand in the air. "He knows I'm joking, or he's in for a shock when he tries to come on to me later."

"Well, well ladies, don't we all look lovely tonight?"

They spun around to see Hwoarang with a pint of cider and looking rather stunning; his long urban hair was resting on his shoulders with no headband in which magnified his bright blue eyes. Unlike the rest of the fighters he wore a simple blue tee shirt with dark blue denim jeans that clung nicely to his muscular frame.

"Forget Steve." Christie whispered in Xiaoyu's ear. "I'd have him any day."

The bartender handed them their drinks and the four of them crossed over to where most of the others fighters were.

"Now that we are all here, how are we doing this?" Nina smoothed down the silk of blue dress and regarded the males for a comment.

"No permanent markers!" Lei shouted over from the bar, grinning as they all laughed.

"We're not making any promises." Paul withdrew a pen from his pocket and waved it threateningly. "Just don't fall asleep this time!"

"We're not all here, Jin isn't here." Xiaoyu regarded quietly as the group looked at her sadly: they knew he was not going to come.

"I don't know why you like him." Hwoarang scowled, bringing his drink up to his lips. "He's a jerk Xiaoyu. Has he even bothered to talk to you at all today?"

"Well…I haven't seen him." Xiaoyu whispered, more to herself than anyone. "He'll have been training."

"Sure." Hwoarang nodded, looking as if he was taking her comment seriously. "I've been training today but I still took the time to come see you and everyone. There's no excuse for being rude."

_That's right, he has. They all have made the time and effort to come together…but Jin…_

"Hey, lay off her." Julia interjected into her thoughts. "He may have training all day and fallen asleep from exhaustion for all you know." The group gave the look that said they begged to differ and Marshall was the one merciful enough to change the subject.

"Where is Anna, Nina?"

Nina looked blankly at Marshall. "You make it sound like I talk to my sibling. Perhaps she has entrapped another poor man and is screwing his brains out behind the dustbins."

"I wonder how many men that woman has had…" Christie looked at some of the male fighters who began to go red in the face and drink their pints solemnly.

"And now many men have you had?" Paul smirked.

"I'm a lady." Christie placed her hand delicately on her chest. "I shan't grace that question with an answer."

"Ooo a British lady, PIP-PIP!" The blonde man roared with laughter as Marshall began to impersonate the accent. "Well YOU'RE not a lady."

"Hwoarang could be. He has the hair for it." Xiaoyu reached out and touched the Korean's soft long hair. "Put a bit of lipstick on, elocution lessons and he'll be ready to go entrap a man of his own to take behind the dustbins."

"Yeah, yeah. Shut up." He took Xiaoyu's hands from his head gently. "I could impersonate a lesbian."

All the men groaned at the word, leaving the women to roll their eyes at the typical male behaviour. "Until she gets a shock that you're not what you seem to be." Nina smiled. "Then you could have a foot to the crotch."

"Well, I'll make sure she's bisexual." Hwoarang stuck his tongue out at the woman who dampened his plan. "Then she won't care less, will she?" Julia placed two shot glasses on top of his clothing where his nipples would be, as they laughed Hwoarang took them from her and placed them underneath his top so he had two small obtrusive breasts. "See, what do you think? Could I get away with it?"

A loud trance anthem came on which startled everyone except Christie, she leapt to her feet and pulled at King who was next to her. "I love this song, let's dance!"

The tall male tugged his hand free and shook his head, gaining boos from everyone. Marshall leapt to his feet suddenly. "I shall dance with my British lady!"

"You're crazy!" Christie giggled and took his dance, leading him to the dance floor where Marshall's embarrassed and stiff dancing made the fighters roar.

Jin walked slowly up the steps to the bar, the music was extremely loud and snippets of laughter could be heard coursing underneath. It had been quite a while since he had seen any of the fighters in a social situation and the fact they had been drinking for an hour and a half did nothing to calm his mind. If Xiaoyu was already drunk he would feel like a fool trying to talk to her whilst she fell around him clumsily, say his greetings and make haste. He was not naïve in thinking his competitors sat around talking with the occasional drink; they ordered shots, drank each other under the table and drew on the first one to go. Wearing his black pants and grey shirt he approached the top step and made his way slowly over to the entrance where he could see a lot of empty glasses and figures.

The Japanese names hazel eyes widen as he saw her; she was dancing along with five other fighters with her hair breezing gently behind her graceful movements and the pink and black dress she wore clung further into her curves.

_Wow, she looks beautiful, radiant…a goddess. Xiao, am I really good enough for you?_

As he began his purposeful stride through the entrance he saw his rival, Hwoarang, approach her. He felt an icy chill shoot up his spin as the auburn haired male placed a hand around the lower half of her back and twirled her, linking up after, they laughed at each other and Xiaoyu reached for his hair. Jin's mind became a blank canvas that refused any thoughts to be pressed upon it until he uttered three words rigidly. "…are they…together?"

"I was right; you would suit being a girl!" Xiaoyu grinned at Hwoarang as her hand brushed through his hair.

_Of all the people Xiao…well, looks like I'm NOT good enough for you._ Jin thought grimly, curling his fists tightly and ridiculing himself for ever getting dressed to come to the stupid damn thing. _FUCK THIS!_ He stood to his full height stiffly and turned on his heel, colliding into someone behind him.

"Why, Jin." Anna drawled, brushing his shoulders as if their meeting had tarnished him. "Don't we look sexier than usual?" Her perverted eyes roamed over his clothed body before looking over his shoulder into the room. "Are you going in?"

"No." Jin roughly shrugged her hands off his shoulders "I was just leaving." His dark eyes glared dangerously as she folded her arms and smiled deviously. "What?"

Anna pursed her lips and ran her tongue slowly over them. "Nothing…I just think it's…sweet…that you waste your precious time thinking about that little girl." Just as he began to move, she blocked his path once again and could see the fury building up in his eyes. "Don't you want a woman who knows what you REALLY want…?"

"I have no quarrel with hitting a woman if necessary, if, you can call yourself that." Jin said coldly, noticing the corner of lips raise in a snarl. "So get out of my fucking way."

"My, your little girl dancing with Hwoarang has made you really upset, hasn't it?" The ginger William smirked. "Let's make this interesting." Before Jin could comprehend what this meant Anna gave him a rough push so he stumbled through the entrance of the bar. Looking round quickly he made sure no one saw and looked ahead to hear Anna's evil laughter echoing down the corridor. He felt a forceful pull on his arm and snapped his head around to see Asuka pulling him down to the bar area.

"Did you not hear me!" Her voice rang clear through his ears and his body stopped as they reached the bar counter. Asuka pushed the hair away from her face and gave him a stiff bow in greeting. "Hello!" She smacked him in the chest so he looked down at her. "It's rude not to greet someone!"

"We are not in our homeland anymore…" Jin said through gritted teeth, watching as Xiaoyu link arms with Paul. Asuka smacked his chest once more defiantly as he continued to ignore her, on the third time he took his eyes away from the Chinese girl and looked impatiently at his cousin. "What do you want? I don't even know you."

"JIN!" Lei appeared to the side of them with two small shot glasses brimming with alcohol. "We didn't think you'd come! Here, have one of these." He passed the man one of the glasses and his cousin the other, grinning as they both tossed the liquid back into their mouths. "There we go, the first one is always the hardest!"

"Hardly." Jin replied dryly, watching his cousin grimace at the taste. His eyes passed back over to Xiaoyu in her tight dress and physically sighed. "I'm not staying long."

"The hell you are." Lei signalled for another shot and tapped Jin on the chest with less force than his cousin had done previously. "Look, we all know how things are with you at the moment." When the bartender handed him the shot he passed it straight to the male Kazama. "But, it doesn't mean you can't have a bit of fun."

After swallowing the second shot, Jin sighed once more and gestured for one lager to the awaiting bartender. "I'm not here to have fun Lei."

"Oh…? That's odd because you keep looking over at Ling-Xiaoyu."

Asuka perked up, looking between the two men and then to the group of fighters who were sat down and laughing once more. "Which one is Ling-Xiaoyu!"

"Shut up." Jin snapped, casting a weary glance over at the table to make sure no one had heard her.

Lei raised his eyebrow in surprise at the sudden shyness of the man. "What is going on with you two?"

"Nothing."

Christie nudged Xiaoyu urgently, causing drops of her vodka-orange to spill down her lips. "God, Christie, what was that for?" The dark haired girl wiped the remnants of liquid from her mouth and looked questioningly at her friend.

"Jin is over there."

Her stomach somersaulted at this, causing weird flutters and she felt her body rise even at his name. "Is he really?"

"Yes, look." Christie nudged her once more, smirking for her friend as the younger woman subtly titled her head towards the bar where it stayed, transfixed; Jin was always an attractive man, but seeing him wearing such smart clothing with his hair gelled in its usual ducktail manner made her cross her legs tightly. "He looks NICE."

"Yes…" Xiaoyu breathed lightly, turning her head back to the group and hoping her red face to calm. "Yes, he does."

"Go talk to him." Christie whispered in her ear encouragingly. "Go say hi."

Xiaoyu's eyes brightened. "Should I?" Her long hair whipped around as she watched him from across the room. She found herself staring in a dreamy trance until she looked at the new fighter poking him square in the chest. "W-who is that?"

"Guys, who is that?" Christie called to the group who were discussing previous fighters they had knocked out of the competition in through the years, pointing her thumb to the female fighter.

Nina followed her thumb and looked at Paul for confirmation. "I believe that is Asuka Kazama."

"Asuka…Kazama…" Xiaoyu's head flittered back and forth between the bar and the group. "…Kazama?" _Mrs. Asuka Kazama? His wife! No wonder he hasn't bothered with me if his wife is here. When did he get married? Why didn't he tell me!_

The group could sense emotions heightening from the Chinese girl and before any tears were said, Marshall waved his arms frantically in her direction. "It's his cousin Xiaoyu, cousin!"

Lee Chaolan overheard the conversation Lei and Jin were having from where he was with Steve and gave a short bark of laughter, causing the three to look over his way. "When Hwoarang began to talk about you earlier, Xiaoyu became pretty defensive over you."

Jin reached out for the pint of frothing lager and began sipping to mask the contorted anger that rippled across his face. After the glass was depleted to half he took the glass calmly away from his face and calmly inquired. "Are they a couple?"

Steve, Lee and Lei opened their mouths slightly at the question in the innocuous manner it had just been asked. The three men's mouths closed and broke out into a smile followed by another roar of laughter.

_Laugh at me then. Am I the only one who didn't know?_

"Are you thick or summat Jin?" Steve held his stomach at the Japanese mans offended face. "You think Xiaoyu has her heart set on anyone besides you?"

"God no, as much as I would love to lead you on with that, it's just too cruel." Lei sipped at his pint and glanced at the girl sat with the others. "She's always liked you. You should know that by now."

"Right! I'm sick of being kept in the dark here!" Asuka bellowed to the men. "Who is this girl!"

"Xiaoyu is the girl in the black dress." Steve replied to her.

When Asuka had finished watching Xiaoyu for a few seconds she turned abruptly to her cousin and frowned. "If you like her, go talk-to-HER." As she could see Jin's mouth begin to open with an excuse she pushed him, hard. "No Kazama is a coward. Go-talk-to-her!"

Xiaoyu wondered why the group around her had suddenly gone from jovial laughter to stunned silence until Christie whispered to her. "Jin's coming over."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter V guys, enjoy :3 **

_I hope they don't stare at me when I'm talking to her…_

_Oh shit, he's coming this way; he's really coming this way…_

_She looks so beautiful…_

_He's so handsome…_

_I'm so nervous_

"Hello."

Xiaoyu gasped, her diaphragm shook as she held her breath in anticipation until her face broke out into a smile as they looked at each other for a few moments. "Hi."

Jin looked up to the group who sat smiling at with him with the exception of Hwoarang, who promptly left the table at his arrival. "May I sit with you?"

"Sure, you don't need to ask." Paul moved across his chair followed by everyone one else until a chair became available to Xiaoyu. "How's life going Jin?"

"Everything is fine." The Devil gene carrier leant back with his drink so he could catch glimpses of Xiaoyu's exposed legs. "I'm intrigued to know who's hosting this tournament though."

"Yes it's pretty annoying having two within the space of a couple of months." Nina said thoughtfully. "I would have thought you'd have known who was behind it all."

"No," Jin shook his head, finishing the rest of his drink and placing it on the table. "Not that I mind." He peeked once more at Xiaoyu's legs and supressed a smirk, holding his hands together to restrain them from straying over.

The conversation continued for a while, most questions were directed at Jin as his presence, social or otherwise, was a rarity whilst Xiaoyu watched him in her peripheral vision; the butterflies in her stomach had not left her since Christie had told her he was coming over.

"Shots anyone?" Paul rose to his feet and collected a couple of the empty glasses on the table. "I might need a hand carrying them though…" Marshall, Julia and Nina accompanied the man over to the bar where Hwoarang stood moodily with King. "I didn't mean that many of us."

"Don't be silly, we're trying to leave Jin and Xiaoyu alone." Julia winked at Paul. "Use your head."

"I think you're the one being stupid." Hwoarang scowled through mouthfuls of alcohol. "I don't why you're encouraging her to be with him. She's only going to get hurt again."

"I don't think she has ever stopped hurting." Nina said wistfully, ordering shots for all of the fighters.

"What are you doing? I've already ordered two each for all of us…" Paul grinned as the blonde shrugged nonchalantly. "Oh well, plenty for everyone. So we can't leave those two on their own anyway as we need to toast these shots."

"Nothing is going to happen between them anyway." The auburn taekwondo fighter sighed as the bartender loaded all of the multi-coloured glasses onto a tray. "That asshole is so far up himself and plus, she's too nice to be wasted on a dick like that."

"C'mon, stop scowling and let's get wasted!"

It was now half eleven at night, the alcohol had settled down well with the contestants and prompted other fighters such as Bryan Fury and Anna Williams to come upstairs for a couple. Many of them were in the centre of the bar, dancing along to their old theme songs that were playing from the third tournament and demonstrating their best dance skills…which turned out were not that great: fighters they were, dancers they were not. Jin was stood by the bar counter drinking a pint of water to prolong the effects of alcohol as he had not eaten properly all day. Even though he had not voiced his feelings to Xiaoyu as he originally intended, it was nice to watch her dancing carefree with Christie on the floor and nodded in acknowledgement to her whenever she looked over his way. Lei Wulong was to the left of him, demonstrating to his rather drunk cousin the best way to handcuff someone if they were struggling; when he heard squeals of protest he watched in amusement as Lei had cuffed her to the radiator whilst she was distracted.

"Jiiiinnn, help me out." Asuka cried, thrashing her arm around in a drunken squirm. "Beat him up for me!"

"Now why would I do that when he's done me a favour?" Jin laughed as she continued to thrash harder, her hair dishevelled over her face. "He's never going to release you if you keep moving like that."

"Okay," Asuka nodded happily, breathing heavily as she rested for a while. "Okay, I'm good. Now let me go."

Lei and Jin exchanged mischievous smiles and ran across the room, laughing as they heard he cries of protest which quickly turned into empty threats. "I'll go back to her in a bit." They walked past Anna who was basically mounting Marshall in the corner, his eyes screamed at them to help him as they went. "I'm not getting involved in that." Lei shuddered at the thought. "I thought he'd already slept with her anyway?"

"Perhaps that was Forest…"

"Jin!"

Lei continued over to the table where Nina was applying lipstick to Paul's rather long eyelashes and left Jin to see Xiaoyu run up to him, smiling and breathing heavily from dancing. "Jin! You've been here for hours and you still haven't really spoken to me."

_You haven't spoken to me either, it has hard to talk to you earlier with everyone drinking shots…_ "Sorry Xiao. Everybody has been verbally harassing me since I got here." He smiled; running one hand through his hair which he hoped she did not link was through nerves. "So, you look like you're having fun."

"Don't you remember all these old songs? It was the first tournament we entered and when you fought, they'd play you your own little theme tune."

_No. I was shot in the head shortly after that tournament._ "I can't remember." _Which, technically, isn't a lie._ "Sounds good though, which one was yours?" Jin held his glass of water firmly between his hands to cool down the excessive sweat that was coming from his nerves.

"Oh, mine hasn't played yet." Xiaoyu frowned slightly before smiling once more. Behind her, King was 'taunting' the crowd that rallied around him as his song played and 'challenged' Nina to join him on the floor. "I'll let you know when it comes on; it's quite girly though, so I don't think you'll like it."

"That doesn't mean I won't like it. If it's your theme I'll certainly listen to it." Jin sipped on the water, suddenly conscious of how masculine it looked to be drinking the pint of water. Well cool. As if reading his mind, Xiaoyu smirked at the clear liquid.

"You're not drinking?"

"I'm pacing myself." _I don't want you seeing me drunk in case I'm an ass_ "I've only eaten breakfast today." He justified to her. "What about you? I haven't seen you drinking in a while."

_He can't know I'm a bit tipsy…I'm not scaring you away by being a crazy drunk; it has taken two months just to see you again. What if I said I love you and wanted to be the only woman in your life and I get jealous whenever I see you talking to another girl and want to punch her pretty little face in?_

"…Xiao?" Jin looked down concerned as her eyes glossed over in thought. Gingerly he tapped her on the shoulder which brought her back into reality; his lips formed a small smile. "I take it you've had enough already."

"What? I've just had enough really, I don't want to get in a mess like I did last time. The hangover was horrendous." Xiaoyu reminisced with a shudder. It wasn't all bad, she met Christie by throwing up on her in the corridor the morning after and the Brazilian girl was kinder than she would have expected. "So what made you come tonight?"

_Window of opportunity… _"I got an invite off Paul and decided to come for a change." _Coward._

Xiaoyu smiled, opening her arms and wrapping them around his waist, hugging him as tight as she could. "Good…well, I'm happy you came…" She was quite shocked that the man did not stiffen or make quiet disapproving sounds and rubbed her head into his chest whilst she had the opportunity. "I've missed you…Jin"

"Xiao…" Jin closed his eyes and held Xiaoyu to his chest, rubbing the side of her arm with his thumb. "It's nice to see you too."

"I never got to thank you for the card you sent me when you were in Australia." Xiaoyu noticed how they were still locked in an embrace, staying as still as possible she hoped he also did not notice this and move.

"Oh…you're welcome."

"Of all people, why did you send me one?"

"Oh…well, I…I wanted…" Xiaoyu looked up at him with her large dark eyes innocently and inquisitively. "…Xiao…" His hands moved away from her waist and Xiaoyu inwardly sighed; a grave feeling of rejection began to settle in her stomach and she stared awkwardly at her feet. "I missed you." Her head lifted in surprise at his comment, his eyes with pensive, brooding and unreadable.

"Jin…"

Gently the dark haired man cupped Xiaoyu's face with his large hands, inclining his head slightly Jin pressed his warm lips onto hers and tasted faint traces of vodka and orange around the moist orifice. Xiaoyu gasped in his mouth, grasping eagerly at his clothing to make sure she was still grounded in reality and held his body as firmly as she could with her hands.

Applause broke around them and Xiao wondered what Jin would do, instead of breaking free in embarrassment, his thumbs caressed her face so carefully and lovingly she never thought such touch from the fighter was possible.

"KAZAMA JIN!"

This tore Jin away from lips and they as well as they entire group looked to the entrance where Kazuya Mishima stood staring at him very angrily. Xiaoyu sighed to herself as Jin's arms fell from her face, his own expression was clearly unhappy with the interrupt and he excused himself as he made his way over to his father leaving fighters to crowd round Xiaoyu.

As his estranged son approached Kazuya folded his arms and growled. "What do you think you're doing!"

"What is it to you!" Jin spat at his father who was smaller than him by an inch: glaring at his attire which was very similar to his own on account of the purple shirt.

"Are you trying to make a name for yourself as a whore? This tournament is serious, not somewhere for you to fornicate with women!" Kazuya smirked as his son began to walk back into the bar disgusted. "I heard you entertained most of the girls at school, obviously you were waiting for that pathetic girl to develop like the rest of them. Trying to get a complete set are we?"

Jin winced as he could hear Xiaoyu ask some of the fighters what Kazuya was talking about with denial and panic coursing through her voice. It was something he certainly was not proud of now, but yes, he had slept with quite of few of Xiaoyu's school friends, including her best one: Miharu Hirano. Both had recognised it was a drunken mistake at a party and never spoke of it ever again because if Xiaoyu ever found out, she would despise both of them, and neither wanted that. "Leave me alone." Was all he could say, his face was burning with shame and fists shook as they curled by his sides and he knew the man taunting him could see this.

"Fuck 'em and dump 'em." Kazuya laughed, watching as Xiaoyu shrunk behind Christie and Julia with her hands on her face. "Just like I did with your mother."

As soon as Kazuya finished the last syllable Nina and King rushed forward as Jin screamed and surged forward, raising his fist as hard and fast as he could. Nina was the first to get there and pulled the Japanese man hard by his shoulders so he fell back into the awaiting arms of King. "LET ME GO IMMEDIATLEY!" He fought and struggled against the wrestlers grasp and began to curse his father a thousand times under the sun as Kazuya walked away laughing as Anna had done earlier. "I SWEAR I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!" When the anger subsided, he closed his eyes and focused on calm thoughts; he glanced round to discover King had dragged him over to the bar area where all eyes were on him. _Damn that fucking infuriating man. I hate him. I fucking HATE HIM. He had to say that right in front of Xiao…XIAO!_ His eyes opened and head spun round to see Xiaoyu, but she was not there. "I'm fine." Jin regarded King and Nina for a few moments before he felt the strong pair of hands release him.

As he promptly left for the door Christie ran in front of him, lifting her arms to block him she shook her head sternly. "Leave her alone Jin."

"I know I've just acted like an ass the-

"Yes you have, but I think it's the part where you've slept with most of the girls at the school you BOTH went to that's pissed her off." The Brazilian girl slapped him so hard from the face his head jerked slightly. "That's a warm up for if you go near her. I mean it Jin Kazama, leave her alone! She doesn't need you to go see her, Hwoarang has gone with her."

"That asshole! He'll just be trying to sleep with her!"

Christie paused thoughtfully for a moment before shaking her head sadly. "I think you should look in the mirror Jin. He's twice the man you are." She turned on her heel and left Jin to rub his sore face, his pride and dignity shattered.


	6. Chapter 6

**This is going to take me a little longer to complete than I thought and I have university work to do, so progression might slow down but I'll make sure it's not too slow!**

**So, chapter VI…**

"Xiaoyu!" Hwoarang threw himself down the flight of stairs clumsily from the alcohol and followed the teenager's sobs. "Xiaoyu slow down." Footsteps echoed around him as she ran outside towards the entrance to the rooms, unlike last time she did not use the elevator and disappeared up the stairs. When he arrived on the third floor she was by her door, hands searching frantically inside her small clutch bag with tears rolling down her face. "What have you lost?"

"…my key…" The small woman brushed the tears from her face and looked at Hwoarang; her make-up was a mess, the mascara she had applied was rolling thickly down her cheeks and lipstick was slightly smeared from what he presumed was the kiss with Jin she had shared not fifteen minutes ago.

"…Do you want to stop at mine? Nothing funny, just to sleep." The auburn man lifted his hands up innocently and watched as she mentally debated. "Look, you're in no state to back to the bar and I won't let you." Hwoarang dug in his pockets drunkenly to finally produce his own key and guided the crying girl over to his room.

Xiaoyu gazed at his room through the tears that brimmed over her eyes: his room was obviously like own, with the exception that clothes were strewn everywhere. "Are you sure you don't mind if I stay here?"

"Sure." Hwoarang swayed on the balls of his feet and wandered into the bathroom. "Get a good sleep and go to the reception area and get your key tomorrow…yeeaaah?"

_Is this a good idea? He's pretty drunk and I don't want him thinking anything is going happen between us and I don't want Jin hearing this and getting the wrong impression…wait, what do I care! The thought of him with some of our slutty classmates makes me sick. Between their legs, kissing their bodies with his lips and god knows what else. WITH THE SAME LIPS HE KISSED ME WITH! Is he good at oral? Did he taste their juices with his tongue, lick it off his lips?_

"Xiaoyu?" Hwoarang poked his head round the corner with toothpaste foaming round the corners of his mouth. When he saw the she was on the corner of the bed sobbing once more, shoulders heaving as she placed a fist in her mouth to stop anyone sounds of anguish escaping he quickly finished brushing his teeth and wiped his mouth. "Xiao…don't cry."

She felt the bed sink slightly as Hwoarang sat next to her, wrapping one arm around her and pulling her into his chest; his breath stank of alcohol as he breathed heavily, rocking her back and forth unevenly. "I-I…I can't help it."

"I know. I know." His large callous male hands reached for her chin and turned her so their eyes were staring into one another's. "Listen. Listen to me."

"…I a-am."

"Sorry, I've been a little drunk." Hwoarang took a couple of large inhales before continuing to speak. "Look, I hate that asshole, it's true, I do, but I can tell you that something someone has done in their past shouldn't affect their future. Does that make sense?"

"It just," Xiaoyu grabbed a tissue from the box that was on the bedside cabinet and wiped her cheeks roughly. "It makes me feel really, really sick just thinking about it."

"Listen. Listen to me…I've love nothing more than to make that ass-wipe suffer, but you're in involved and I care for you. All I can suggest is sleep on it...and then crush the maggot."

The party continued into the early hours in the morning; Asuka was unattached from the radiator shortly after the incident with Jin and Kazuya where she was convinced not pursue her cousin who stood, swaying in disbelief at the events that unfolded in short concession: he had finally kissed Xiaoyu, he was set to unmask his feelings for her until the wretched man who was his biological father came and blew it all apart. After a few undisturbed minutes of silence he left for his room where no one followed him. After a few more drinks, Anna took Marshall back to her room at 01:00 and never returned to the dismay of his peers, Nina in particular. Though she watched in amusement, stumbling slightly and giggling as Paul withdrew his faithful marker pen, drawing eyebrows on the unconscious face of Lei Wulong. "He never learns" Paul mumbled to her as he challenged to artistic creativity on the police officers face. Next to Lei was Steve, who was having his eyebrows shaved off with a cheap disposable razor by Lee Chaolan as he mumbled in his sleep. Finally at half three in the morning the inebriated fighters were woken up and ushered out of the bar by sleep deprived staff.

"If you had to kill a person in this tournament…who would it be?" Julia and Nina began the long journey up the stairs to their rooms.

"Oh god, easy, Anna…" Nina held onto the railings for support as she pulled herself one step at a time. "She's such a bloody bitch, I can't have a man here because that cowbag has slept with 'em all and I'm not having no sloppy seconds."

"I'd kill…Steve…" Julia mumbled as they approached the fifth step.

"Awwww nooooo, why Stevie?"

"The way he talks 'bugger this and bugger that', it annoys me." Julia laughed along with Nina as they stepped onto the first floor, thrusting her arms in the air she shouted. "FIRST FLIGHT OF STEPS CLEARED ARRIBA!"

"Shuusssshh."

"Save the treeeeees!"

"Julia. Shut up."

Jin awoke to Nina and Julia's incessant jabbering that echoed through the corridor and stared up at the ceiling for a few moments before rolling on his side and checking the docking station: 04:27. Unable to do anything but listen as their voices filled the room he gritted his teeth in annoyance as they began comparing sexual aspects between himself and Kazuya.

"Whooo has the biggest cockadoodledoo?"

"Jinny boy!"

"But Jinny is going to have it cut off by Ling-Xiaoyu…what a lovely name, like a song…"

"Then Kazuya wins by default!"

_Shut the fuck up you stupid women and go to sleep. Everyone went to bed half an hour ago, what the hell have you two been doing!_

"What about a father-son sandwich?"

"Julia! Nooooo, they wouldn't play nice together. A small pecker and no pecker would be no fun for anyone!"

Jin propped himself up in bed and waited for Nina to enter her room further down the corridor and say her goodbyes to Julia, which took another five minutes of conversation saying how they should do it again and wondered why they had never been on a girl's night out. When Julia could be heard staggering back up the stairs, he nestled back into the covers and waited for the comfort of sleep to capture him…but it never came, and so he laid on his bed debating what to do next with Xiaoyu; he would simply find her and talk to her, explain to her that they were alcohol fuelled one night stands and they meant absolutely nothing, he even thought about thrusting inside of her to reach climax sometimes but she did not need to know that much information.

When the docking station changed to 07:00 he made his way out of bed, brushed his teeth and climbed into the shower. Ten minutes later he picked up a clean pair of flame training pants and left his room to go find a spot in the gym before some of the fighters picked the best spots.

On his way down the stairs he stopped on the second floor, lingering. _Xiao said her room was on the second floor…but which one?_ As he watched the corridor the room closest to him opened, moving out of the way he saw Xiaoyu; wearing the same dress she wore the night before, her hair dishevelled and makeup etched across her face.

When Jin was about to call out, Hwoarang shortly followed her in blue underwear, turning her round before she had chance to see the look of shock and horror on the Japanese man's face and gave her a hug.

_They slept together! You FUCKED that guy!_

Hwoarang glanced up as they broke away from their embrace, Xiaoyu felt his body tighten to a rigid stance and looked round to see Jin staring at them both in astonishment. "NO! This is not-

"What the…" Was the only thing he could muster to say as Hwoarang waited uneasily in the doorway, his eyes flickering between the pair, waiting. When Xiaoyu began to step forward in protest Jin shook his head a couple of times before turning on his heel and hastily exiting down the stairs. "Fuck this."

"JIN STOP!" Xiaoyu lunged forward to chase after him but cried aloud as Hwoarang held firmly onto her body. "Let me go. You don't understand, he'll have thought we slept together!"

"I know. You're not talking to him looking like that."

Lei Wulong and Asuka entered the restaurant for breakfast groaning, weary of the looks that were thrown their way. It did look bad. Asuka had bruises where the she had struggled against the handcuffs the previous night, glaring at them angrily as they swung from the off duty officers belt whilst Lei had the same eyebrows and whiskers etched on his face like last year. They got their food and sat on the large table where Steve lifted his one remaining eyebrow up and spat milk across the table.

"T-they got you both too?"

"Yes." Lei said stiffly, nursing his head with one hand and glaring at Paul who sat with Lee sniggering. "This isn't funny. I better not have the first match like last time."

"It is pretty funny." Steve smiled, digging in his pocket for some pain relief and handing the pair some. "This hangover is awful."

"Tell me about it. Can any of you remember what happened?" Paul mumbled, lifting up the remnants of toast and forcing it down his throat.

"I remember…Jin and Xiaoyu actually kissed and then, Kazuya came?" Lei questioned his memory. "Kazuya was there right? I danced with him didn't I?"

"You…danced with Kazuya…?" Asuka moaned, picking her continental breakfast apart and pushing the plate away. "I can't eat that…"

Lee frowned, searching his own version of the night's events. "No…I don't think you danced with Kazuya. Maybe you danced with Jin?"

"No…" Asuka planted her head against the table and gave a deep sigh, lifting her arms up for the group to see. "They both handcuffed me and ran away, but they didn't dance together. What happened to Julia and that blonde woman?"

"Don't ask me. It hurts just to think at the moment." Steve also keeled on the table surface, mumbling of being sick. "Why are we up so fucking early anyway?"

"They're releasing the preliminary matches at half eight."

_She can't do this to me. She just can't do this to me. That guy is such a jerk and she knows I hate him. Just because I slept with people back at high school doesn't justify her fucking that ginger haired moron._ Those thoughts occupied Jin for the hour he was in the gym, fists flying precariously to anything that would contact it and he found that after unleashing all emotional anguish in that hour he was tired.

"Are you not ripping the bag off the wall like last time?" Feng said sarcastically, watching in amusement as the twenty year old bent over for a sip of water. "Tired already Jin Kazama? I'm disappointed, I thought you exceeded the reputation but before you…clearly I was wrong."

"Why don't you shut the fuck up and mind your own business, eh?" Jin spat venomously, returning to his training spot and beating on the bag harder to prove the man wrong. _"He's twice the man you are."_

After retrieving her room key which had been handed in at reception and showering and changing into fresh clothes it was just past eight. Xiaoyu pondered over breakfast but decided she had no appetite and lazed around the pool, waiting for the fighters who had crowded on the balcony sipping water and complaining for their hangovers to call her over.

"Come up!" Christie shouted to despair of her peers, gesturing the girl to come eagerly. "I need to know what happened with you and Hwoarang!"

Jin left the training room to hear the last part of the Brazilian woman's sentence and looked down as he felt all eyes burning on him. Ahead was Xiaoyu by the pool, she stood to her feet as she saw him and waited. "Hey up guys, something is going to happen!" He could hear Paul shouted indiscreetly to the rest of the fighters and mentally, he began to tear the man apart from the insides out.

Jin was determined not make a spectacle like he had last night until Xiaoyu placed a hand gently on his chest to stop him. "We need to talk."

"What is there to talk about Ling-Xiaoyu?" His voice was strong and the gaze on the floor was even stronger.

"I didn't sleep with him, Jin." Xiaoyu brought her other hand to his face and turned it so their eyes were staring into one another's.

Jin shrugged her hands off as roughly as possible and glared at the younger person. "How do I know?"

"I lost my key and he was in the room next to me, so he offered me his bed-

Jin snorted. "I'm sure he did."

"Oh, not like that!" Xiaoyu felt her face redden in anger at how absurd the man was being. "How can you judge me anyway, apparently you've slept with all the girls in school."

"So, you did sleep with him?"

"NO." Xiaoyu shouted louder than expected, watching in her peripheral vision as fighters began to gather on the balcony and lowered her voice. "Look, I didn't. What would it matter if I did anyway, we aren't a couple? I think it's pretty hypocritical for you to say anything."

"That? That was years ago. This was last night, and after I kissed you!" Jin folded his arms tightly into his chest to prevent them from flailing in frustration. "You should have talked to me rather just listen to what Kazuya said, he could have been exaggerating."

"Alright, okay." Xiaoyu also folded her arms, mimicking the pose but in a more dangerous manner and stood so her nose was brushing his clothing. "I'll ask you; how were they? Were they good? Did they squeal underneath you whilst you fucked them? Did they taste good with the tongue you used to kiss me with?"

Jin paused; there was gigantic whole where his brain had been and he stumbled over his words that came out unnerved. "W-what, no. No!"

"So I'm just another girl you thought you would pick up, take to your room and fuck? Or would it have been mine? That way you could have left easier." Xiaoyu felt his presence begin to shrink in size as his dark eyes became filled with fear. "So don't try blaming all this on me."

"W-what I'm saying is that is in the past."

"OH WHAT, SO IT DOESN'T MATTER YOU FUCKED MY CLASS MATES!"

"NOT COMPARED TO YOU SLEEPING WITH THAT MORON!"

The fighters above exchanged adrenaline fuelled glanced, there was never entertainment like this in any of the tournaments and as much Christie and the others would have loved to go down and help them out; it was nothing to do with them, pure and simple.

"This is going to get nasty…" Paul whispered to everyone who nodded in silent agreement.

Jin's arms were unfolded and moving as he began to shout in the Chinese girls face who in equal turn was shouting back. "I NEVER SLEPT WITH HIM, BUT I'M REGRETTING IT NOW BECAUSE YOU'RE BEING SUCH AN ASSHOLE!"

The Japanese man inhaled so much, it looked to the spectators that he would explode, his face was that red. "WELL GO FUCKING SLEEP WITH HIM THEN!"

It happened so quickly, so fast that no one had time to prepare themselves as Xiaoyu let out a high pitch scream of anger and pushed Jin straight into the pool where he disappeared under the water's surface with a loud crash. "I HOPE YOU DROWN IN THERE YOU JERK!"

Everyone watched in disbelief as Xiaoyu ran off to her room and Jin appeared above the water's surface, cutting through the water with a few short strokes and pulling his soaking body out of the water.

"…should someone go talk to him…?" Lee mumbled, looking around the group for a volunteer. No one dared to go down and console the man of Mishima blood, not if they wanted to survive to actually compete in the tournament. "Shall we check the matches then, it's past half eight?"

Christie rolled her eyes and stood up from her chair. "Fine. I'll go talk to him if you're all too afraid."

"And rest in peace, Christie." Paul marked his chest with the holy symbol and followed the group through the lobby where a large white poster was stuck against the notice board.

Tomorrow's Preliminary Match: Yoshimitsu VS Jin Kazama


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you the reviewers! You are giving me good encouragement which is essential because I would like to keep writing this (if only my studies wouldn't get in the way) and I shall continue, so thank you for your patience and here is chapter VII, enjoy :)**

* * *

"That's going to be a good first match; whoever has organised this tournament isn't messing around." Lee Chaolan stared at the two large pictures of the individuals with a massive red 'VS' between them. "Poor Yoshi, that's not a picture of him that will capture the heart of the fair ladies."

Paul snorted at this comment. "So you think he'd get the 'fair ladies' if the photographer had taken the photo slightly to the left, to capture more of his tantalizing profile?"

"Well…okay, no, maybe not slightly to the left. Perhaps taken in the shadows? Y'know, the ladies could have a lucky dip…strip him of all this tradition crap he's wearing and place a bag over his head and let them have at him." Lee pondered his and stroked the slight stumble on his chin. "Obviously, all the good looking ladies will have flocked your way before they go for this guy." Sarcasm dripped from every syllable in the sentence but Paul still smiled happily and nodded enthusiastically in agreement at the comment. "You're so clueless…"

"Where is Yoshi anyway?"

"I saw him training yesterday but he didn't stop to chat or anything." Lei swung his handcuffs idly between his fingers and stifled a yawn that tried escaping his lips. "Can I go back to bed now?"

"If you want. I'd have another bash at getting your whiskers off. Steve's fallen asleep in the restaurant, if he's still there by lunch I'm going to take his other eyebrow off." Paul shrugged, walking away from the colourful poster and resuming his place back at the table. Asuka was hung over the balcony, watching intently as her cousin exchanged quiet words with Christie who had given him a towel; looking out towards the pool, he appeared to be reluctant to talk to the young woman, but drench from head to toe Asuka thought she would be the exact same: if not less polite. "Is he still there?"

"Why has he just accepted this humiliation?" Asuka asked Lee curiously. "If I were him, I'd go grab that prissy little girl by her hair and demand who she thought she were pushing me into a pool, and in front of competitors no less!"

"I don't think he can be angry, being a hypocrite and pushed into a cold pool early in the morning will probably have knocked that out of him." Lee sipped hungrily at his orange juice as his body growled at him to be hydrated again. "Ah, love is such a fickle bitch."

"You really think he loves her?" Asuka snapped her head to her cousin with a questioning look. "Love is a big responsibility and I'd have thought he'd have been determined to win this tournament without letting those prissy feelings get in the way."

"Prissy feelings…?" Paul and Lee exchanged glances as Asuka wandered over to the poster to see who was fighting first.

"Does he know he's up tomorrow?" Lei held his stomach as the morning's breakfast began to rumble unsettling. "I think I'm going to be sick…"

"No, he doesn't and dude, don't be sick on me." Paul grabbed a menu advertising breakfast and fanned the man. "Someone should go down and tell him."

"I'm not! I'll probably barf all over him." Lei held his mouth at the notion of throwing up, nausea sweeping over him.

"That's fine, push him back in the pool after and he can have another bath." Paul watched with slight concern as Lei Wulong scampered off hurriedly to the receptions toilet area. "Remind me Lee, I need to touch up his whiskers before his match."

"Didn't he borrow some of Nina's make-up last time?" The silver haired fighter drained the glass of orange liquid and wiped his lips satisfied.

"Yeah…he did!"

Asuka hurried past the pair and lent over the balcony. "KAZAMA JIN, YOU'RE VERSING YOSHIMITSU TOMORROW!"

The two men sat around the table winced and held their ears distraught. "Fucking tell us when you're going to shout!" Paul growled and massaged his scalp as his head pounded with the noise. "Have you never dealt with someone who has a hangover?"

"Fantasic" Jin said sarcastically whilst drying his face with the orange towel Christie had given him and blindly giving his cousin a thumbs-up in the general direction of the balcony. When he appeared from the towel the Brazilian girl stared into his hazel eyes with fascination as his hair rested fluffily against his face instead of its usual gelled state. "As I'm trying to figure out that stupid girl I've got to fight the only person who is, for some strange reason, permitted to use a sword in this ridiculous tournament."

"Not as odd as fighting against wildlife." Christie could not help but stare at the man's pants as they hugged his thighs deliciously tight. "Where is Kuma…?"

"So you will attempt to reason with her?" He handed her back her towel and stood with his arms folded in a manner that mimicked his father.

"Reason is a rather harsh word, Jin. You did sleep with her school colleagues." The brunette reminded him sternly.

"Yes, which was a few years ago…so what does it matter?"

Christie opened her mouth in shock at his adamant reply and closed her mouth thoughtfully before shaking her head sadly. "My god, you are so stupid."

"I am not."

"And stubborn!"

"No I'm not." Jin frowned as the woman of similar age took a deep breath. "What? I'm not, I just know what I like and I know when I am right, and right now, I am RIGHT."

"Oh Xiaoyu you lucky, lucky girl…" Christie covered her face with one hand and genuinely felt for her friend having feelings for the arrogant man in front of her. "I'll talk to her about what happened with Hwoarang but that's it, you're on your own." With another stern look, she strode past him and headed back up the stairs to the balcony.

_Women! You're all crazy!_

Asuka suddenly padded alongside him and placed her hands gently on his damp chest. "Are you going to train? You've got a big match tomorrow: the opening ceremonies match."

Jin regarded the small woman in front of him before removing her hands from his chest distastefully. Her thoughtful words did remind him of his mother, Jun Kazama, and that was precisely why he felt uneasy with her presence beside him: he did not want old memories stirring up when he was already emotional comprised with another fighter. "Why are you being nice to me? Blood we may be, but as you should know, I do not have much care for it."

"Are you going to train?" Asuka ignored this response. "I always use to watch the opening ceremony when I was younger."

"Good for you." Jin replied flatly and removed the girl's hands from his chest, proceeding towards the stairs to his room.

"W-where are you going! Aren't you training?" Asuka shouted, pointing in the direction of the gym and glaring at him, which he found quite comical. To think, the girl thought she could intimidate him…

"No, I am going to bed."

Asuka stood still for a few moments; her hand still poised in the air. It was unusual for men not to do her bidding, not that she held leverage over them but her blunt attitude (and breasts) allowed her to get her way quite often. There was a lot of resemblance in the young Kazama to the pictures of Jun Kazama she had been shown. True, they were mother and son so of course there would be SOME similarities, but she was genuinely surprised at how handsome he was…not many people were as good looking as they appeared to be on the television or on posters. Maybe if she threw a few punches and kicks his way and distorted his pretty face to a mess of blood and bruises, people would learn quickly who she was and with that would some respect. Power? Screw the power. All she wanted was for the world to see and acknowledge that for the entire stigma that was now attached to the Kazama name, they were by nature a very caring and passionate household.

Drawing her out of her thoughts was the horrendous sound of Paul Phoenix bringing up his breakfast all over the glass table above her, followed shortly by the mild cheers of Lee and Lei.

After several minutes of waiting and persistent knocking Christie was granted entrance to Ling-Xiaoyu's room. Smiling sadly as the two year younger girl walked back over to the bed and slumped on top of it. "I saw what happened…"

"Who didn't?" Xiaoyu said glumly, bringing her knees up to her body and resting her head on it. "I'm still trying to figure out what just happened."

Christie sat on the edge of the large bed and rubbed young Chinese womans back comfortingly. "I think emotions were what happened there." Christie clarified as the Xiaoyu looked confused with her large brown eyes looking at her own tanned legs. "I'm guessing you two only see one another at these tournaments, which is a stressful time as it is, but you don't have enough time to express yourselves because of all the training commitments and matches. Jin clearly likes you, if I'm not mistaken he was the only who kissed you last night."

Xiaoyu's young face screwed up in rejection to her comments. "No. Jin likes sex."

"Who doesn't like sex?" Christie moved off the bed and walked over to the balcony, gazing at the view. "When I finally get a boyfriend, he'll have to accept I've had other sexual partners in the past…unless I don't tell him."

"And Jin didn't tell me!"

"And since WHEN were you two boyfriend and girlfriend?" Christie raised an eyebrow as she could see Xiaoyu retreat back in on herself in the mirror. "You two don't get to talk as it is. Is he supposed to tell you that as an opening line to a conversation?"

"I thought as friends, he would have told me. I thought that going to the same school; I'd have heard something of someone, anyone; I'd have thought that if he does supposedly 'like' me, he would have had respect for me and not slept with all of my peers around me!" Xiaoyu began to flare up once again with anger, punching at her pillow repeatedly until it slumped off the bed.

"See, it's hard when you've never slept anyone before because you find it so much harder to relate to." Christie peered out at the view where she could see a member of staff cleaning some sort of spillage off a glass table outside.

"Can we change the subject off that cock face?"

Christie squinted further across the complex to see the back of Nina walking with a slight wobble, which was not the normal precision of the assassin. "Okay. Did you fuck Hwoarang?" The Brazilian turned round so she could get a better sight of Xiaoyu's facial expression.

"I don't fancy giving Hwoarang my virginity thank you very much."

_So that's Jin's privilege…_ "What the hell is wrong with Hwoarang 'thank you very much', the guy is HOT, HOT stuff!" Christie bounded over to the bed and pushed Xiaoyu playfully as she sat next to her. "I'd like to grab that Koreans buttocks; nice, round and firm and I kid you not, I would bite it."

"Would you really?" Xiaoyu laughed as her friend clutched an imaginary bum, pretending to bite it.

"I would ride that man to the moon and back. With all the stamina and hip strength in him, it'd be amazing. Nothing serious mind you, just a few good honest fucks until the tournament has finished and then conclude it until the next one." Christie smiled contently at the image of their naked bodies coiled around one another in lust.

"You could really just do that, sleep with someone and part ways as friends?"

"Yeah: If it's both something you enjoy and it makes you feel good, then why not?" The twenty year old glanced over at Xiaoyu who appeared to be deep in thought, probably thinking about Jin in this paradigm. "C'mon, let's go train. I don't think Jin will be there, he'll probably be drying himself off."

This made the woman grin mischievously and roused her from the depressive state she appeared to circling near. Together they stood up and exited the room, making their way down to the gym. When they entered, it was bustling with life and smell perspiration hung thickly in the air as competitors trained vigorously; Nina and Anna were partaking in something that resembled more of a cat fight rather than a sparring match, Yoshimitsu and a couple of new fighters whom they did not recognise were keeping themselves to themselves whilst the usual gang of Paul, Lee, Lei and Steve minus the absent Marshall were struggling to spar with the hangovers they were suffering.

"I can't believe Marshall bedded her...AGAIN." Paul muttered darkly to Lee. "We all swore we wouldn't touch her again, but put a bit of alcohol down him and he's anyone's!"

"Doesn't he have a wife?" Steve touched his missing eyebrow tentatively before holding up a kicking pad for Lei to hit.

"Yes, he STILL has a wife. The same wife he had when he slept with Anna the FIRST time." Paul shook his head in exasperation. "Well we all know who won't be winning this tournament."

"I know, when I'm training I don't touch my girlfriend for two months before. Need to keep all the testosterone I've got." Steve suddenly wretched as Lei's foot slammed the pad into his gut, bending over he took a few deep breaths. "Not so hard Lei, do you want me to throw up again!"

Xiaoyu and Christie had finished their warming up next to the small group. "You abstain from sex whilst training?" Xiaoyu asked them with genuine interest. "Do you need to do that?"

"Yeah, as much as I like it, sex is more of a hindrance when you're training." Steve passed Lee the kicking pad to practice with Lei and approached the pair of girls with Paul. "I thought most fighters knew that."

"Well, maybe if I had a penis." Xiaoyu replied calmly, patting her groin area. "Nope, there's definitely no penis down there."

"Why, have you and Jin been frolicking in the hay together?" Paul winked at Christie and grinned at Steve.

"No. Anyway, since when did Jin and I make the headlines of the contest?" Xiaoyu scrutinized the men in front of her.

"Since you both kissed last night and you threw him in a pool this morning?" Paul retorted whilst grinning still. "Did you sleep with Hwoarang? I didn't think he was your type, you two look more like friends than anything."

Xiaoyu sighed in annoyance: was everyone going to ask her this? "No, I did not. It was a big misunderstanding that HE blew way out of proportion."

"So you two are going to kiss and make up?" asked Steve.

"I doubt it, he's still a jerk."

"C'mon, there's nothing like a bit of in-house romance to spice things up, makes it a bit like a soap opera. The last good one was between Kazuya and Jun."

"Well," Xiaoyu tightened the bands on her hair and brushed her uniform down dismissively. "That shan't be happening in THIS tournament, I can assure you."

"No, it's going to be better." Steve interjected, receiving a friendly pat on the shoulder from Paul.

"Exactly! Jun didn't push Kazuya in a pool…but my god, how much I would have paid her to do it." Paul roared with laughter to the dismay of his hung over friends. "So far you're not disappointing…unlike Marshall…"

"So are you not bothered Jin has the first match tomorrow?" Steve asked curiously.

"What, he does?" Xiaoyu looked at Paul for any indication he was lying, but when Paul nodded in agreement she closed her open mouth and shrugged her shoulders. "Well, it was going to be one of us, wasn't it? Who…is his opponent?"

"Yoshimitsu." Paul inclined to the quiet man in the corner who appeared in a deep meditative trance. "It should be quite a match; I remember his sword nearly cut through one guy last year."

An icy feeling crept up inside Xiaoyu at the prospect of Jin shedding his blood and flesh in the match. How could she not remember that match, it was Yoshimitsu versus one competitor who had to forfeit the entire tournament, spent three weeks in hospital with his injuries and had not been back since…to no one's surprise. "Oh, I see…"

"C'mon Xiaoyu, we should train." Christie gently pulled on Xiaoyu's wrist and led her to a small space where she was already equipped for various pads on the body for the woman to hit.

"Oh, an in-house romance is SO on." Paul positioned himself in a fighting stance in front of Steve. "I'll bet you twenty bucks."

"Twenty? Make it forty." Steve also positioned himself and within a couple of seconds they began to spar.

It was half three in the afternoon when Jin was rudely awoken from his slumber by an incessant knock at the door. Peeling back the covers, he hoisted his muscular frame out of bed and clambered over to put an end to the noise that was violating his ears; peering through the hole he could see Julia looking rougher than he had ever seen anyone in his life, or maybe she too had just got out of bed. Opening the door he looked down at the woman: her hair was dishevelled, her skin waxy and gaunt underneath all the make-up that had smeared and dried on her face. "Yes?" He inquired politely.

"Pray god; tell me you have pain killers!" Julia glanced up and double took the man that stood in front of her wearing only grey boxers. Something inside her made her cringe, knowing how she looked and here she was in front of Jin Kazama begging for pain killers like some two-bit junkie scavenging out of a bin for money towards a fix. "…hi Jin…"

"I should do somewhere. Wait there." He was not having her coming in his room when it was such a mess; to any normal person, one towel on the floor and a pair of pants would be acceptable but to a meticulous man such as himself, it was not. After taking out a sleeve of ibuprofen and paracetamol Jin approached the woman. "You don't have any allergies do you?"

"No, and thank you very much." Julia took hold of the items and went to embrace him before thinking twice. "Have you just woken up?"

"I've been awake before, but yes I've just woken up." Jin scooted back to his room and thrust on the pair of pants that were on the floor and folded the towel. "Do you want some water with those?"

"Please." Julia mumbled, smearing mascara across her cheeks as she wiped her eyes to get a better look of Jin Kazama's room. "Did you and Xiaoyu make up?"

"What?" Jin mumbled as he retrieved a glass from the small cupboard above the sink. "We never got together really, Kazuya saw to that."

"Yeah I heard." The brunette took the drink with gratitude. "You two should work things out, after so many years it would be a shame now for it not to work out."

The tall fighter shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "It is what it is."

Julia finished the water and gave the empty glass back to Jin. "So, do we know who is fighting for the opening tomorrow?"

"Yes. Yoshimitsu and I are opening the tournament tomorrow." Jin padded over to the sink and placed the glass in the empty bowl. "So if you don't mind, I need to prepare myself for tomorrow."

"Oh, sure." Julia turned around and headed back onto the corridor, waiting for a couple of seconds before poking her head back round. "By the way…Xiaoyu's room number is C36, just thought you should know."

Before Jin could say anything to her or even look at her, she had disappeared back into her room to cleanse herself from dried make up and the smell of stale alcohol. Closing the door, he wandered back over to his bed and flopped back into the covers: thoughts of Xiaoyu began to enter his mind, the sweet girl's smiling face contort with anger as she pushed him in the pool and how she physically shook with rage. Her soft, plump lips that he probed with tongue and cavity he tried to invade, but then invading another kind of cavity took place in his mind and Jin felt the band on his underwear tightened as his shaft swelled at the arousal of erotic thoughts. It was becoming more and more difficult to ignore his throbbing member pulsating with neglect in his trousers, but he would have to neglect his own sexual appetite as did the other fighters.

"_He's twice the man you are!"_

"_WELL GO FUCKING SLEEP WITH HIM THEN!"_

"_I HOPE YOU DROWN IN THERE YOU JERK!"_

Jin placed his knuckles to his lips, wincing in embarrassment as he recalled the events hours earlier. _I always let my temper get the better of me…I could have handled that so much better. If my mother was…my mother would have known what to do, but she's not here anymore, it's just me and now I need to figure out what to do to rectify this. NO, YOU NEED TO TRAIN. Yoshimitsu is a formidable opponent which some people forget…and it is those people that do not win._

****  
At dinner Xiaoyu, Julia, Christie and Hwoarang sat together eating take out noodles from a shop down the road in Xioyu's room, despite Julia's guilty conscious that now if Jin did turn up, he would have a small crowd watching him again.

"Xiaoyu, what's wrong?" Hwoarang asked the pensive woman sat on her bed next to Julia. "You've been quiet all day."

"N-nothing." Xiaoyu stuttered: lifting her chopsticks up with a couple of loose noodles curled around the sticks. "I'm just starving. It is very good."

Hwoarang frowned, catching the eye of Christie who sat opposite him across the small rounded coffee table. "You know you burnt yourself out pretty quickly in training today, Xiao." Christie pointed at the dark haired girl with her own eating utensils. "We're all friends here, you can talk to us."

"I'm fine." Xiaoyu said flatly and impatiently. "Please, I know you're all worried with what happened between me and **him**, but I can assure you, I'm fine."

"Hey Xiaoyu, why don't they let the public know the first match is fixed?" Julia changed the conversation to Xiaoyu's graces.

"What? Oh, I don't know really." Xiaoyu pondered this question to herself whilst Hwoarang interjected.

"It's so they can sell more tickets to the opening match. If some people know what fighters are playing and they don't really care, then they won't come but if it's a mystery and their favourite fighter has the opportunity to show up then it's more likely folk will come."

"We all have to be there anyway…" Christie placed her empty noodle box and stretched. "So everyone can see us."

"Yeah, I know, but people came to the Iron Fist to see FIST, not just to gawp at us like we're panda's in a zoo." The auburn haired male smiled apologetically at Xiaoyu. "Pardon the expression."

"I can't wait tomorrow, I'm so excited!" Julia licked the last of the juices from the box and put them on the floor next to the bed. "That was good curing a hangover."

"Kazama will win. He has to." Hwoarang grinned at the prospect of his rival being stabbed in the first match. "I need kick his face in for good measure this time."

Xiaoyu curled her feet underneath her body and watched as her friends began comparing the two fighter's skills.

_Jin…_


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter VIII: Please note that the announcer is a fictitious character that is intended to resemble no persons living, or dead.**

**The commentator, Dan Green, is the voice actor for Tekken 6 (I love his voice) "Get ready for the next battle" That guy : D**

**I was originally basing this story loosely on T5, but after a message by a reviewer I'm wondering whether to write nothing related to the cannon story line so I could incorporate say, Jun, into it? Lemme know what you all think **

20:02 The crowd of spectators were loud and their cries of encouragement fell into a mismatch of noise; glossy and handmade posters were held high with their favourite fighters and quotations from earlier matches dancing in the arms of the expectant jovial public. The arena and audience were blanketed in darkness, which was becoming unbearable as the smell of sweat and anticipation began to rile everyone up even more. Looking down there was a barely visible fighting stage in the centre of the arena, behind it was a large built up stage with two humongous screens and an even larger one at the opposite end so all fans could not miss out of the action.

Suddenly, smoke began to arise from the built up stage which sent the crowd into a frenzy of cheering and a single man dressed in a smart black suit walked on stage as strobe lights flashed all around the crowd. Once the crowd had settled and the lights focused solely on this one man visible to everyone on the screens, he lifted a microphone and shouted with a strong voice everyone recognised from the previous tournaments sending the settled back into fits of noise.

"Welcome ladies and gentleman, to the King of Iron Fist Tournament FIVE! My name is Hiroshi Tsang and I shall be your announcer for the duration of the tournament" The announcer took sight of all around him and decided: no matter how many tournaments he would host, he would never get use to this sight. "This is the first time a second tournament has been announced in the same year, let alone two months. The backer is keeping themselves a mystery which will be revealed at the end of the tournament to the winner. So, only one question remains…ARE WE READY TO SEE SOME SKILLED FIGHTING!" He caught of sight of many Jin Kazama and Christie Monteiro posters made by fan girls and fan boys as their shouts deafened his ears. "Despite the previous tournament being only two months ago, we promise you the same quality fighting as its predecessors…don't believe me? LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT OUR CONTESTANTS!" More smoke filled the arena and multi-coloured strobe lights flickered all around whilst two white spot lights focused behind the announcer to two openings.

Xiaoyu looked at the opening next to her as people began to proceed in front of her and saw Jin a couple of people in front of her: unlike most of the fighters who were smiling and waving to their adoring fans, he kept his head down and hands by his side. Tearing her eyes away she looked up at the blur of people who held their hands out in desperation to touch them, despite being so far up in the stands.

"I LOVE YOU LING-XIAOYU!"

"WE LOVE YOU JIN!"

"MARRY ME KAZUYA!"

"SHOW ME YOUR TITS CHRISTIE!"

"HAVE MY BABIES JIN!"

"TAKE YOUR TOP OFF HWOARANG!"

"THE TITS, CHRISTIE, THE TITS!"

That was all she could hear as she took the first few paces up the steps, catching glimpse of herself on the massive single screen at the opposite end of the arena as it showed all of the fighters moving to the stage. Leaning forward to look at the line of fighters she tried to see Jin, but was pulled back gently by an equally excited Asuka.

"This is AMAZING!" The teenager shouted in her ear, pointing at the dancing waves of colour that was the crowd. "I'm not nervous at all; this is like a sugar high!"

Xiaoyu felt her lips split into a grin as she absorbed some of Asuka's excitement; having competed in the tournament twice before, she was becoming use to this but hearing Asuka, she could not help but remember her first time too.

Hiroshi went round and shook everybody's hand and whispered words of encouragement before putting the microphone back to his lips. "So here they are! Can you all see them?" He paused on took in the cries of enthusiasm they all threw his way. "Good! Now usually we start this tournament with a speech from the head of the Mishima Zaibatsu, but as I'm sure you all know Heihachi Mishima departed this world not so long ago and our new head has been so occupied with organising this tournament that he was not had time to prepare a speech. Instead we have a song that will open the tournament this year sang by Tom Leonard and Jeff Pescetto!" He pointed over to a smaller stage at the opposite end of the room which lit up to show a music set with musicians waving. "Before get to listen to this though, I would like to invoke a two minute silence of respect for the fallen Heihachi Mishima." The announcer bowed his head and was followed by an eerie silence that filled the entire arena.

Jin bowed his head and inclined it slightly to catch a glimpse of Xiaoyu, and as he leant slightly forward he caught sight of his entire image being projected onto the screens and slowly retreated his body back and closed his eyes to seem respectful, when really, he couldn't give a fuck about the 'deceased' man.

_Where is she? I haven't seen her once this morning…I hope you haven't dropped out, otherwise I'm going to have to find you, which I will, even if it takes me until the end of time._ Looking up slightly he saw the image flicker onto Xiaoyu who had her hands clasped together near her chin with her eyes closed. _You are so beautiful. I need to tell you, I need to apologise to you about my behaviour yesterday. Should I tell you here? Should I shout it out now? XIAO, I'M SO SORRY….I don't think I can do it. No. I can, of course I can. Do it, okay here it goe-_

"Thank you for your co-operation ladies and gentleman!" The announcer ripped through a disgruntled Jin's thoughts. "These fighters all want to take hold of the throne of the Mishima Zaibatsu, but as we know, it is impossible." He turned around and gestured vaguely to line up. "Some of you are going to sustain injuries for your desired glory, some of you may be killed-who knows folks- and only ONE of you can WIN! Sit or stand for what could be the 'Iron Fist Theme' ladies and gentleman! WELCOME, TO THE IRON FIST TOURNAMENT." Bright coloured fireworks erupted from the edge of the stage and glittered in the mixture of lighting.

**I'm here now  
Doing the best I can  
Where are you now?  
Did your dreams come true?  
Here we go...**

Get out, get out  
SPARKING!  
Get out  
SPARKING!

What does the word "peace" mean?  
There should only be a smiling face?  
Answer me, reticent God  
But the sun rises again  
When will that time return?  
Swear you won't give up!

Break out!  
Anything day by day  
Freak out!  
Anything step by step  
Live the sin, and let me know live the sin  
Break down!  
Make my story  
Get down!  
They're called history  
My heartbeat gonna be faster  
Shout, shout, shout, shout, soul

Destiny or deadly  
I don't care which one's walking this way  
They're nothing together  
What if I go back to zero?

Get power of infinity  
All men together make one man  
At the time of an important decision,  
Please do not lose your vision.  
You're the one  
Show me only your dance in earnest.  
Even if wrapped in the darkness,  
Light is beyond the horizon.

SPARKING!  
Believe your own energy!  
SUPER KING!  
Get by my hands!  
SPARKING!  
Now open your wing!  
SUPER KING!  
You can do it!

Get up, get up, get up, get up, get up  
Take it to top of the world...

**SPARKING!**

The crowd cheered in delight as the strobe lighting flickered all across the stage once more, holding up their posters in the canvas of colour. "So, who shall open the fifth tournament I wonder? Will it be another comical battle between Nina Williams versus Lei Wulong? No one can forget that match in a hurry. Or what if it's a father son dispute with Kazuya Mishima and Jin Kazama? With our new commentator, Dan Green to introduce the fighters, LET'S FIND OUT!"

Everyone's attention was diverted to the large screens where images of all the fighters began to flicker like roulette and the crowd roared as if their cries would decide who was fighting. The first image stopped at an image of Yoshimitsu draped in red with the commentator roaring in the background from a distant location. "YOSHIMITSU, VERSUSES…" The second image slowed down and stopped on a picture of Jin. "JIN KAZAMA!"

As the crowd roared Jin and Yoshimitsu broke away from the crowd earning several pats and murmurs of good luck. Xiaoyu stepped out of line to watch the bare back of Jin heading down the short flight of stairs. "GOOD LUCK JIN!" She cried out in futile as the man was being bombarded by the screams of adoring fans. After which she and the other fighters were ushered out by staff and given a comfortable furnished room to watch the match in.

"Dan Green here folks, saying how do you do and let's look at those all important stats!" The absent narrator boomed around the stadium. On the screen the image of Yoshimitsu appeared accompanied by statistics of attack, defence and endurance. "At 5.'10" and weighing 63kg, this blood type O fighter is returning for his fifth competition in hopes to win. Yoshimitsu has proven to be a much feared opponent with his Yoshimitsu blade which legend has it, is handed down only to Manji clan leaders. Be on guard Jin because this guy isn't out to play nice!" As Yoshimitsu took his place in the battle arena, Jin's image and stats appeared on screen which provoked many screams from females. "Watch out ladies, it's Jin Kazama! To all you folks sitting at home who don't quite know this young fighter yet: this twenty-one year old has more than looks going for him. Part of the rare blood group AB, which may useful to know if he has contact with Yoshimitsu's blade, hehe…only joking Jin, at a height of 5.'11" and weighing 75kg, this fighter certainly has weight on his side, but that doesn't always matter. Demonstrating his reformed fighting style of traditional karate, Jin is more determined than ever to win this tournament as he competes in his third competition.

Best of luck to you both gentleman, now get in positions!"

The room the fighters had been put into was a finely furnished bar with alcohol, leather chairs and sofas and a moderate 60 inch television screen that showed the fight. The rested competitors ordered their drinks, most of them soft and sat around the screen: Xiaoyu was perched on the edge of her seat, staring longingly into the projected image of Jin Kazama.

_Everyone keeps mentioning Yoshimitsu's blade…Jin please be careful. I don't know what I'd do if you were to get seriously injured…or worse. Despite everything that has happened between us, you are still my friend and I don't want to see you get hurt._

"ROUND ONE…FIGHT!"

The pair threw themselves straight into the fight which the crowd loved: jabbing at each other before both attempting to grapple one another causing them to throw each other off. Yoshimitsu performed the 'Manji spin slap' technique which caught Jin in the face a couple of times; ducking underneath the moving mysterious man, Jin swung his leg in a low stance and took the man's balance, causing him to crash to the floor.

"Told you this would be good." Paul grinned, chinking his champagne glass with Lei Wulong whose marked face was almost entirely faded. "I always liked it when Yoshi spun in the air with his blade and POW," Paul cut the air with an open palm. "Lands on the other guy's head."

"Oh yeah, I remember when he nearly split your head open doing that!" Lei laughed at Paul.

"Well it's good to watch when it isn't happening to you…" Paul rubbed his scalp. "Seven stitches I had to have!"

Turning back to the screen they managed to see Jin grasp the foreign man's arm and toss him over his muscular side and out of the ring. "K.O!"

"Alright, round one to Jin!" Christie cried in her chair, punching the air with her fists. "This man means business."

"That was disappointing on Yoshimitsu's behalf…" Nina drawled from the back, folding her arms and watching the screen as the contestant stood back up.

"ROUND TWO…FIGHT!"

This time Yoshimitsu was wearier to the precarious fighter and wove around an advancing kick and jabbed Jin hard in his side. Jin faltered and before he could regain his composure, Yoshimitsu gave a solid kick to the head which knocked him straight on his back.

"Come on Jin!" Xiaoyu shouted along with the other fighters, edging on their seats as they watched the young man roll back just in time to miss Yoshimitsu's foot that came in a crashing blow intended for his head.

Picking himself up, Jin wiped off the beads of sweat that fell across his brow and delivered a combination of punches that sent the other man soaring across the ring. If there was one thing he hated about these fights, it was the roar of the crowd bellowing in his ear and suffocating his mental thoughts. Yoshimitsu then appeared to his left and Jin side stepped a grab that was meant for him, only to be greeted with a high kick that connected once more with his side before he was able to block. Turning his whole body around, Jin roundhouse kicked the warrior square in the chest and came upon him once more; the combination of punches proved futile this time round as Yoshimitsu held up his stance to block every single one of them.

"Nice defense there, Yoshi." Hwoarang yelled at the television screen before returning to his glass of cola. "Jab him again! JAB HIM!"

In the turns and coils of the fight, Yoshimitsu suddenly withdrew his blade and sliced it clean through the air before depositing it to the back of him.

"What the hell did he do that for!" Paul questioned Lee angrily. "It didn't even do anything! What a waste of time."

"Yeah, he didn't even make contact with Jin." Lee agreed, watching the screen intently.

Suddenly, the camera focused on Jin and the sudden colour of crimson that trickled in heavy streaks down his arm. "Uh-oh, it looks like Jin unfortunately connected with Yoshimitsu's Yoshimitsu blade then!" The commentator bellowed. "We're going to need a medic."

Xiaoyu's eyes widened as the screen focused on Jin attempting to located the source of his bleeding and shouting to three medic's that appeared by the arena's side. "Oh no, he's hurt."

"That happened subtly. I didn't even SEE the blade touch him." Hwoarang grunted, sipping on his drink.

"It would appear that Jin Kazama is arguing with the medical staff." The commentator's voice boomed through as Jin began pointing at Yoshimitsu and shaking his head. "He's refusing to seek medical help, but he's bleeding quite badly. Yoshimitsu is just standing there not knowing what to do! It looks like Jin Kazama will HAVE to seek medical help whilst the domestics clean all the blood off the stage. Sorry Jin"

"I'm fine. Leave-me-alone!" Jin snarled as two members of the medical team entered the fighting area with packets of open gauze. "It's just a flesh wound, I'll be fine. I'm not forfeiting this match when I don't need to!"

"Sorry sir, you need to come with us so we can get that looked at." One of the men gently grasped at his uninjured arm with trepidation. "Sir, please."

"No," Jin pulled his arm roughly away and glared at the man who began to take a few steps back. "Fuck off and leave me alone, I shan't say it twice."

The crowd dimmed down as the commentators voice appeared once more. "YOSHIMITSU WINS THE SECOND ROUND BY DEFAULT!"

"What the FUCK!" The competitors sat in silence in the room, watching as Jin's outraged face quelled as medical staff appeared around him and dabbed at the wound on his right, reluctantly he allowed himself to be led away. Walking out of the area with the medical team looking begrudged he could be heard spitting to Yoshimitsu. "I'll be back, and when I am, I'm going to kick your ass."

"JIN!" Xiaoyu suddenly shot up from her seat, causing the others to twist their heads at the girl's emotional cry: before they had time call her back she had disappeared out of the room.

Jin could still hear the roar of the crowd echoing through the cold corridor he and the medical staff walked down: he did not see the point in arguing with them and actually looking at the wound, whenever they wiped away the blood, he could tell it was quite deep.

"In here, sir." A female member opened a door with a red cross and ushered the three inside. It was a sterile room that smelt unnatural and looked like any stereotypical medical room would with a chair and a medical bed draped with blue roll. "Could you lay on the bed for me, sir?" The muscular fighter watched as one of the members began to open cupboards up and place a sterile pack and equipment on the trolley whilst the other still dabbed continually at the wound: he sat on the bed that had been lifted to his height and laid across it with his right arm propped up on a sheeted pillow. "How does that feel?"

"Fine." Jin replied monotonously, observing as they watch washed their hands, placed gloves on and broke off into duties. "What is the procedure going to be?"

The female medical worker began filling out a form. "Looking at the depth of it, you'll probably need stitches. Have you have stitches before?"

Jin rolled his eyes in annoyance at this information: damn Yoshimitsu and his damn Yoshimitsu sword, he could have won this match by now if he hadn't have been so careless. "No, I have not. I know you are doing your best for me, and I respect that, but please can you all hurry up? I don't want to forfeit this match."

"Do you have any allergies that we should be aware of?"

"No."

One of the male members appeared, draped in a plastic apron and gloves with the steel trolley and brought a large blue curtain around half of the room. Opening the sterile pack and contents, he began to attach the needle to the syringe and smiled at Jin. "My colleague is going to continue cleaning the wound and I'm going to administer an anaesthetic into the surrounding tissue so you don't feel the pain when I put the sutures in, is that okay?"

"Look, I'm not an idiot-

A knock at the door silenced him and the female worker completing paperwork looked up, nodding at the other two to carry on. "It's probably Hiroshi Tsang wanting to know what's happening." When she opened the door she was greeted by the fighter she knew to be Ling-Xiaoyu: whose eyes were gleaming in the bright halogen lights. "I'm sorry but you cannot enter."

"I need to come in miss." Xiaoyu bowed in respect to the medical worker.

The woman placed a hand across the door to signal she was not coming in. "Look I'm sorry, but if you don't already know we have an injured fighter in here."

"I don't have time for this!" Xiaoyu peered behind the woman and saw the long blue curtain obstructing her view. "I need to make sure he's okay!"

Jin frowned at the familiarity of the voice, diverting his eyes away from the needle that was about to stick into his open flesh and to the door. "Sorry sir, but can you look this way please. You are moving your arm."

"Xiaoyu, is that you?" Jin called out blindly, straining his head as much as he could without moving his arm. "…Xiaoyu?"

"See, he wants me in there." Xiaoyu glared at the woman. "Now MOVE."

The woman conceded and allowed the Chinese woman to enter; closing the door and watching as the young woman slowly approached the blue curtain. "…Jin?"

"In here."

Xiaoyu slipped through the curtain and gasped: there was a yellow bag with gauze damp with blood poking out of the edges, one of the workers had bloody hands from touching them whilst another was holding a long needle and easing it into the torn parts of Jin flesh. "Oh my god…" She physically winced as she saw his flesh bloat up with the anaesthetic and liquid spray out from being already full from the injection. "Jin, are you okay?"

Jin broke away from observing the procedure and turned his head the other way to see Xiaoyu on her knees and looking tearful. "Are YOU alright Xiao? You don't look so well."

"No…" The woman wiped a free tear; reaching out and holding his left hand, stroking it gently with her thumb. "Your arm looks a mess."

"It's fine; they're only numbing my arm so they can put some stitches in it." Jin frowned as more tears fell from her eyes. "You really don't need to cry, it's not that painful. If you don't like blood then don't look."

"…I'm worried for you…" Xiaoyu's large round eyes remained on Jin's and she reached down and kissed his fingers that were curled around her hand. "Why weren't you careful?"

"Xiao…" Jin mumbled smoothly, flexing his fingers and brushing her cheek. The woman began to cry more freely, alerting the weary medical team that had just finished injecting him. "I'm not dying or anything, you don't need to cry. I imagine it's not as bad as it looks."

"I know." Xiaoyu wiped away her tears. "I know…I just don't know where we go from here. I don't want to destroy what friendship we had." Xiaoyu saw a hook and thread puncture the raw flesh of Jin's right arm, tying the thread in a knot and cutting it before proceeding to the next stitch. "Oh Jin…"Jin stared longingly into her bright eyes and mumbled an inaudible response. "…I need to ask you something." Xiaoyu rested back on her knees away from his fingers. "Why did you kiss me on the first night we were here? Was I just another girl to tally up on your bed notches, or had you just had too much to drink?"

Jin lifted his head up slightly to the two men working on his arm, they were both slowly their work down to listen whilst avoiding his eyes. Instead he glanced up at the female worker who had finished writing up the notes. "This is confidential, isn't it?"

"Yes." The man dabbing his arm nodded.

"So I can sue the underwear off your backside if you say anything?"

"…yes sir."

"Okay." Jin turned back to Xiaoyu and reached for her hand which she gave him. "Xiao, all of those women meant absolutely nothing to me. The reason I did all of those things…was because, well I was stupid and drunk most of the times but I can assure you, if I was to be with you I would be 100% committed to you and nothing like that would ever happen. Though I think we should talk about this later on."

"You…really mean that?" Xiaoyu smiled as Jin nodded. "Jin, I'm sorry for shouting at you and pushing you in a pool, but, I can honestly tell you: I never slept with Hwoarang and I never ever will. He is just a friend and I know you two are rivals, but I am friends with him and you'll have to accept this."

"Okay…" Jin bit his lip at the prospect of those two being friends. "I'm sorry for doubting you, Xiao: you know how much that guys gets under my skin. Anyway, we'll talk at a better time." Jin showed his straight white teeth in a pristine smile, watching as Xiaoyu began to blush and stopped beaming at her. "Is there something on my teeth?"

Xiaoyu leant forward soundlessly and planted her lips onto his, cupping his face with her slender delicate fingers. The medical staff exchanged smirks and continued to work on Jin's arm as the young girl began to moan as he slid his tongue lightly over her moist lips and nibbled on her bottom lip.

"Sir…we've finished…" The pair broke away awkwardly and blushing, looking at his bicep which was bandaged in thick white material. "You have seven stitches. We advise you not to fight as the wound will probably come open again, but as we know with any fighter, this is up to you so we shan't enforce it."

"I'm going back out, so can you please notify them." Jin took his arm back and flexed it: he could not feel much around that area. Xiaoyu stood up with him and the pair watched one another for a couple of seconds, both of them beginning to blush.

"You need to keep the dressing on for two days sir, and whatever you do: do not get it wet." The female eyed Xiaoyu sternly. "Come back in two days and we'll check to make sure nothing is infected and replace the dressing."

"Thank you very much." Jin bowed to the three medical staff and wandered over to the door.

Xiaoyu stared at the floor. "S-so, I'll talk to you when the fight is over?" The pair thanked the workers and entered the corridor where Jin suddenly pushed Xiaoyu into the wall. Reaching down with his large hands and stroking her soft skin with his thumbs whilst planting kisses on her neck. "J-Jin, what are you doing!" He ignored her comment and moved up her neck until she felt his hot breath against her ear and suddenly she felt the urge to cross her legs as fluid began to build up between them. Just then she felt his body press on top of hers and gasped as something hot and hard pressed against her stomach. It was at this point Jin removed his hands and turned away from her so she couldn't see the aching erection pressing against his pants.

"Sorry…" He apologised with his back to her. "I've wanted to do that for quite a long time."

"Jin, you need to get to your match. It's been half an hour already!"

"Just…give me a minute." The Kazama male mumbled, a crimson hue misting across his face and he was thankful Xiaoyu couldn't see him.

"What are you waiting for?" Xiaoyu ran round to the side of him and blushed furiously, looking away from the large erect muscle that was protruding from his black pants. "Sorry! Sorry! I thought it would have disappeared…"

"Nope." Jin replied breathlessly, placing both hands on his face to make sure he wasn't burning up with embarrassment. _Of all the girls to feel and see that, it HAD to be Xiaoyu, didn't it? I KNEW I should have knocked one out last night, but would I listen? Nooooo._

_Are they usually that BIG? I thought Western men were supposed to be well hung…what if that is actually 'small'? Oh my god, how big are penises!_ Xiaoyu's face burnt up as the two stood in awkward silence until Jin finally turned back round.

"I should…er, get going now." Jin moved around her nervously and began to walk down the corridor.

"Good luck and Jin," Xiaoyu called out to him causing him to turn around and look at her down they were a distance apart. "C36. That's my room number. Come round when you've finished and we'll talk, yeah?"

Jin nodded silently and proceeded down the corridor to the chanting crowd, leaving Xiaoyu to gaze at his departing back before heading back to where the other fighters were. When Jin entered the arena once more the spectators went wild, thrusting their posters in the air and gawping as his bandaged wound was shown up close on screen. Yoshimitsu broke away from his meditative stance and swung his sword around lazily, eyeing up the damage his blade had done and smirked.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMAN JIN KAZAMA IS BACK AND LOOKING MORE DETERMINED THAN EVER!"

"That last one was for free." Jin gestured to his arm, lifting both his hands up in stance. "Now you're mine."

"ROUND THREE…FIGHT!"

For a minute the pair stared deeply into one another's eyes, hearing the crowd begin to cry with hunger for violence they acted quickly; Yoshimitsu and Jin lifted their right leg in a hard thrush with struck the opposing leg. As they corrected their positions, Yoshimitsu noted the thick white material wrapped around Jin's arm and registered this as an opportunity not only to wound the man, not only for this match but perhaps the tournament…and the less threats, the better.

"Jin shouldn't have come back on." Lee sipped his cocktail with a frown, scrutinizing what little expression the camera man focused on. "Yoshi is going to take his arm off next."

"What he lacks in words, he makes up with ruthless strategy." Nina said wistfully. "It would appear as an 'accident' to everyone watching this friendly match but really we all know you do what you can to get ahead of the game, and rendering one of four limbs near useless is a good start."

"You never did anything like to me in our friendly." Lei pointed out.

"I didn't want to burden you anymore than what the whiskers did," Nina smiled sweetly, stroking Lei's jawline teasingly as she approached the bar. "That's all."

"KICK HIS ASS YOU PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR A MAN!" Asuka screamed wildly at the screen as Jin side stepped his opponent's blade. "This is NOT a friendly match." The teenager cried incredulously to the others. "Where I come from, blood is NOT split in an exhibition of skills!"

"What can we say," Paul folded his arms and kept his eyes on the television. "Welcome to the King of Iron Fist Asuka."

Xiaoyu entered the room undetected by the group for a while: watching the screen from a slight distance. Was that progress with Jin? Did anaesthetic have delusional properties? Regardless, Jin Kazama kissed her, sober, and what better way to celebrate that a little victory dance.

"You're looking rather happy…" Christie slid to the side of her with a depleted glass of coke and rum, startling the girl who was mentally dancing with her panda. The Brazilian girl grinned at Xiaoyu, wanting to coax information out of her without actually having to say anything. "Well…?"

"We kissed!" Xiaoyu whispered, feeling her smile beaming across the corners of her face despite the nervous butterflies in her stomach.

"Really!" Christie replied back with equal excitement, glancing at the rest of the group to make sure they had not heard. "But what about what happened yesterday morning? You threw him in a pool!"

"Meh…he was asking for it at the time." Xioayu simply shrugged and smirked as Christie stifled laughter. "He was!"

"What does this mean then?" The tanned twenty year old placed her empty glass on the bar.

"Well I'm not too sure but we said we'd talk after he's finished this match." Xiaoyu watched the screen fascinated as agility was demonstrated by Jin, curving his muscular back in graceful swoops to avoid being struck once more by the blade. "I'm nervous Christie…" At that moment in time, if she could cast a spell to make the fight last forever she would, just to put off the conversation they would be having in her room. Why did she even suggest her room!

"Awww, hun you'll be fine." She hugged Xiaoyu affectionately, rubbing her back gently and whispering in her ear. "He should count his lucky stars you're even interested in him."

Just at that moment they caught sight of Jin ploughing his fist deep into Yoshimitsu's diaphragm and stepping back distastefully as the man keeled over on the floor. "AND THE WINNER IS, JIN KAZAMA!"

"I'm going to go get a shower." Xiaoyu whispered to her friend before the group dragged her into their conversations and left the room as quietly as she had returned.

The walk was twenty minutes away and all she could hear as she fastened her pace was the exhilarated cries of the crowd: she wanted to feel her best for when Jin came.

No matter what was to be said or what was going to happen, Xiaoyu couldn't help the storm of butterflies swirling in her stomach that tonight, she and Jin were going to set things straight.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Nothing perks me up more studying for my exam to check my emails and see nice reviews from you guys. Thank you very much, they are much appreciated! Here is chapter IX…**_

Jin gave the fallen fighter one dismissive glance and turned his heel, looking up at the adoring fans and slightly crazed females that began to take their bras off and made hastily for the exit: he certainly did not want to see Xiaoyu with a strangers bra plastered to his face.

"Jin that was fantastic!" Hiroshi greeted him at the exit and began to pace along with him down the corridor. "How's your arm? It looks pretty painful."

"It's fine."

"I know it was supposed to be a friendly match, but you know how Yoshimitsu is." Hiroshi watched the man. "Do you know who's hosted this year at all? It's a complete mystery to all of the staff." Hiroshi watched the man's cool façade and dropped back after he got no response. "Talkative as usual I see…"

Jin opened one door and removed his jacket that was pegged up along with the other fighters clothing. Placing it around his body he exited the arena via the backdoor and began to pick up his speed to the private route that connected to the hotel. Now his arm was beginning to throb with pain, but he made no habit of slowing down and allowed Xiaoyu to occupy his thoughts; the kiss was so spontaneous of him, he was unsure it even happened until the embarrassment was pushed forward to the front of his mind. Cringing, he pulled up the hood and made a fast pace as hoards of fans could be heard pouring out of the stadium.

….meanwhile….

"What the FUCK did I do with that mascara!" Xioayu shrieked to herself as she foraged in her make up bag, tossing out every other item to find the one she wanted. "Oh god, oh god, oh god…"

Disheartened that she could not top up her make-up, Xiaoyu began to brush her black hair frantically until it was silky smooth and adjusted the push up bra she had exchanged for her regular one. Now she wore tight black jeans and a ruffled blue top with a low neckline and stood staring at herself for a few moments; turning at every angle in the mirror to caught glimpses of her curves. "GAH, I LOOK LIKE A WHORE!" She exclaimed as she began pulling her down her jeans and tossing in the air. "What should I wear!"

Xiaoyu darted to her wardrobe in thong and ruffled top and swung open the doors with might; picking out items which were then either cast aside or stuffed back into depths from once they came. Then a firm knock at the door silenced her mutterings and curses and made her freeze, staring at the door as if her worst nightmare was about to come through it. "Um, w-who is it?"

"It's, er, me?" Jin answered uncertain.

Xiaoyu glanced down at her semi naked self and to the heap of clothes that were now scattered around her room. "Shit, shit, shit." She muttered under her breath, grabbing the piles and stuffing them in all the crevices the wardrobe had to offer. "J-just one minute!"

"I can come back…?"

"No, no!" Xiaoyu breathed heavily as she weaved over the bed and thrust several items in the bedside cabinet. As she moved towards the door she caught a glimpse of her half naked self in the mirror and cursed once more as she opened her wardrobe and pulled out a pair of training pants. "Just hang on a moment!"

"Are you sure, you sound really busy?" Jin frowned at the noises that came from her room and ran his hand through his wet hair from the brief shower he had just had.

Suddenly the door opened and Xiaoyu lent breezily on the door frame, panting hard, but determined to look at nonchalant as possible. "H-hey Jin."

Jin looked the girl up and down in her mismatch outfit of pink puffy training pants and elegant blue top. "Erm, you look…nice…"

"Oh, this?" Xiaoyu glanced down at herself and began to feel the red hue of embarrassment descend on her face. "This is…Chinese fashion. Very cool at the moment, all the girls are doing it."

"Oh right. That's probably why I don't get it." Jin smiled apologetically and ran one hand through his hair awkwardly. It made Xiaoyu smile, his damp natural hair reminded her of the younger Jin she knew when he use to talk to her after showing from a physical education class.

"So…"

"Oh, yes!" Xiaoyu sprung to life and moved away from the door frame so Jin could enter. "Come in sorry, that was rude of me. How is your arm?"

"It's fine." Jin touched his dressing tentatively and drunk in glances of how the girl kept her room: he always imagined her to be the sort who just flung clothes anywhere, but he was quite surprised at how clean and vacant the floor was. "So…er, how are you?"

"I'm fine…I'm good…" Xiaoyu sat down on the bed and watched as the man stood in one corner of her room. A few moments of awkward silence passed and the pair avoided one another's eyes and pretended to be interested in other things until Xiaoyu shot up. "Would you like some tea!"

"Erm, yes please." Jin smiled nervously and perched on the edge of the bed before sitting up and deciding to take a seat in the chair instead. "So…you have a nice room…"

"It's the same as everyone else's." Xiaoyu laughed hollowly and gasped as her hands shook violently when holding the china teapot, causing it to rattle vigorously: placing it firmly back on the table she sighed as quietly as she could.

"Are you nervous?" Jin asked quietly, staring at a picture hung on the wall to avoid eye contact.

"Well, yeah, sorta." Xiaoyu turned around and smiled as Jin continued to feign interest in the oil painting of a city. "Aren't you?"

She felt her insides soar as his hazel eyes focused on her with a gentle gaze. "Of course I am." Once more he brushed his hair with one hand and gave a slight smile. "What was that match like then, entertaining, I hope?"

"Sure, if you call 'entertaining' scaring the hell out of me." Xiaoyu smiled and sat on the bed, staring into his eyes in a trance like state. "You both fought well, although I have to say the best player won." She patted the space next to her to encourage Jin to sit next to her. "I won't bite."

"No… you'll just push me in a pool instead." Jin laughed as he sat with her and put his hand cautiously on her thigh. "Xiao, I'm sorry you had to hear that from Kazuya, I never wanted you to find out that way."

The Chinese woman placed her hand on top of his and squeezed gently. "I'm sorry for overreacting, but at the time it was a bit of a shock. I know you have a past and of course there will be women involved: what teenager is celibate these days?"

Jin lowered his head so she could not see his eyes. "I would be lying if I denied what I did, but I can be honest and say that I do regret those things; they were meaningless, more than meaningless…they were a way to escape the frustration that was placed on me at home at the time."

"Jin…" Xiaoyu reached out to him and lifted his chin up to look at her. "You don't owe me an explanation, the question I want to ask is are we involved now?"

The muscular Japanese man looked long and hard at her before smiling. "You mean…you want to be involved? Like…boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"Only if you want to be! I was just saying that because of the kiss you gave me earlier! I didn't mean to imply anything- Xiaoyu was cut short from the incessant nonsense that was spilling out of her mouth as Jin pressed his lips firmly but gently onto hers. One hand reached up and caressed her cheek whilst his firm moist lips worked delicately over her softer ones in light but powerful kisses that made the young woman's head spin in pleasure.

After a quiet murmur escaped her mouth, he began to slide his tongue over her lips which parted in a welcoming gesture; once his warmth had penetrated her mouth she groaned and held firmly onto his hand that was still upon her thigh and used her own tongue to probe precariously into his own mouth for fear of rejection.

Jin broke away after a few moments and smiled as Xiaoyu's eyes remained closed and lips quivering at the removal of contact. "I would love to be your boyfriend Ling-Xiaoyu; I would find it an honour."

Before she opened her eyes, Xiaoyu felt a grin spread across her face and slowly came to the image of Jin's wet lips and erection that strained against his pants. "…does that happen every time you kiss someone?" She looked into his eyes but pointed below his belt.

"Erm, no." Jin shook his head shyly and continued to caress her cheek, crossing his legs all the while. "It's because I find you incredibly attractive. I can't help it, but it doesn't mean I'm trying to force anything onto you."

Xiaoyu heard the words but did not look up to acknowledge him; she was mesmerised at the size of his swollen shaft underneath his clothing and brought a shaking hand forward to touch the hard mound of flesh. It was a lot harder than she imagined it would be and hotter and longer too. Suddenly she found herself undoing his pants buttons, eager to satisfy her curiosity by seeing his organ that she longed to dominate and love her.

"Xiao…" Jin whispered soothingly and took her hands in her own and placed them on the space in the bed between them. Xiaoyu looked up fearfully and slumped, but before her eyes could begin to water he touched her cheek once more. "I don't want to rush you into this. You questioned me if you were another one of those girls…well let me prove to you wrong, let me prove to you that you mean more to me than all of them combined."

"Okay…" Xiaoyu began to smile as she felt her self-worth and ego rise at his gentle demeanour. She moved her hands away and tucked them firmly in between her legs. "I never thought you could be so romantic."

"And I never thought I could fall for someone as hard as I have." Jin stood up to his full height and extended his arm for Xiaoyu to take hold of. "Shall we go for a walk?"

"Sure, let me change first."

….

It was a captivating evening; the night sky was transcending from the daylight baby blue to a mystifying navy and dispersing into darkness that held the shining stars in their comforting grasp. The atmosphere was cooling down to a pleasurable temperature and crickets celebrated by purring their complex song all over the grassy grounds of the hotel, where fireflies gathered in the trees and lit up the grounds in spectacular show of exuberant warm glows.

All along the garden, the path was twinkling up to bridge where Jin and Xiaoyu sat with their feet dipped in the cold water and embracing one another as the excitable woman pointed as the magnificent coloured fish swam past breezily.

"I knew he'd make you happy Xiaoyu…" Christie hung lazily from the balcony wall where some of the fighters had returned to for a few drinks and smiled in happiness for her friend.

Paul smirked at the Brazilian woman and inclined his head to see the two figures in the distance peck one another on the cheek. "Well, it was about time."

"Definitely." Christie jumped from her perch and joined the thinning fighters at the table they congregated around. "So you were right, an in-house romance was on."

"That's right!" Paul pointed at the British blond. "You owe me forty bucks pal!"

Steve begrudging opened his wallet and sought after the crisp green bills whilst mumbling. "I was sure it was going to be the next tournament."

Paul reached over and took the money, waving it teasingly in his face before depositing it in his pocket. "Well you should know better, I am after all, the lurve doctor in this tournament." The sound of Xiaoyu's giggling drifted to their ears and made them smile. "It's nice to know out of that bloodbath came some happiness."

Christie lifted her legs onto a vacant chair and sighed. "Yeah…hey 'lurve' doctor, fix me up with something then if you're so good."

"I'm free if you ever want some loving." Paul sidled over to her. "I may be old looking, but I can make up for it in the sack."

"Oh, gross Paul." Christie pushed the leering man's face away and laughed as he fell over in his chair. "Don't break your back now; we wouldn't want you to miss out on all of that loving."

Xiaoyu sat cradled in between Jin's legs with his hands hung loosely around her waist and embracing the comfortable silence that had fallen over them minutes before. The fish frolicked in the water and surfaced at random moments, kissing the surface before diving below into the depths of the water.

"You miss your Mum, don't you?" Xiaoyu broke the silence with her gentle inquiry.

Jin fidgeted and pulled her closer. "Of course I do, don't you miss your Mother?"

"I've never really thought about her, or my father for that matter." Xiaoyu enjoyed the warmth that came with the closeness and closed her eyes, listening to the crickets chirpy in the background. "Was she a nice person?"

She could feel his head rest on the nape of her neck and sigh, reminiscing probably she thought. "My mother was one of the most kind and knowledgeable people I have ever met. To say I miss her would be an understatement; she kept me away from the shaded world of the Mishima's. Although I must thank her spirit for guiding me to you." Jin gently shifted her hair from her neck and began kissing her slender neck. "You've never thought about yours?"

"Nope. They're not here and there's nothing I can do about it, so why spend my future searching endlessly for the past?" Xiaoyu giggled and squirmed as his kisses tickled her neck. "Have you never come to an understanding with the male side of your family?"

Jin let out a hollow laugh, stroking the side of her hips gently. "If you by understanding you mean the relentless ambition to kill one another, then yes. That is the apparent fate of the Mishima bloodline that I must be included and partake in."

Xiaoyu scowled and moved away from Jin's grasp, turning around to look at the man with serious eyes. "I refuse to fall for a man whose death is already written in the stars."

The Japanese male looked puzzled. "Whoever said it was going to be I that died?"

She reached forward for his hands and held them in hers with a grip stronger than Jin would have thought possible for her; staring once more disapprovingly at him she sighed. "I don't want your hands to be covered in the blood of your family, Jin. You are better than them, both of them, all of them! Look to your mother's side of the family, Asuka doesn't seem all that bad."

"Asuka?" Jin snorted at the idea and took Xiaoyu back in his arms once more. "I suddenly have a cousin after all these years, which I know nothing about and know nothing about me in turn. SHE could be a killer for all I know."

He smiled as she squirmed under his grasp and exhaled deeply. "You know what I mean Jin!"

"What? She could." The man replied in earnest, pulling her ear closer to his lips and whispering. "She could be out to kill us right now!" Jin hoisted Xiaoyu off the ground and on top of him on the floor, despite her squeak of protest and began tickling her. "See! You see?"

"J-Jin! S-stop, I…I can't b-breath!" The woman cried through laughter, kicking her arms and legs out wildly into the air in a bid to stop him. "JIN!"

The resting fighters were alerted to the sounds and exchanged puzzled glances. "My god is he TICKLING her?" Steve said in disbelief as he and the others stood watching them after hearing Xiaoyu's stilted pleas for help. The fighters watched in dismay as the pair fought playfully against one another until there was a wince from the Kazama male and he sat up clutching his wounded arm. "Well, he was tickling her."

"Unbelievable." Hwoarang's auburn mane shone in the light as he shook his head. "In the space of a couple of hours he becomes as soft as a kitten, pathetic!"

"I thought you were happy if Xiaoyu was happy?" Christie circled him like an eagle, daring him to scorn her friends once more.

"I-I am." The Korean became all aware of the dangerous vibe that was being emitted from the twenty year old. "Doesn't mean I can't laugh at him though, I mean, YAY for Xiaoyu and HAHA, what a prick for Kazama."

"Well, I think it's sweet. They've become so close in the space of a few hours" Christie prodded him roughly in the chest. "So you better stay out of their business, got it?"

"…got it." Hwoarang mumbled disheartened and took one glance at the couple laughing on the bridge. "I will stay out of the business BUT if he hurts her, I'm coming for him and I'm going to make sure I break his jaw."

On the edge of the balcony, Kazuya peered down at his son who held onto the small Chinese girl as she loomed over the edge to spot anymore fish in the darkness. A smirk crept upon his face as he wondered if his son was playing his own game and acting the caring and endearing type, when really all he wanted was a raw fuck to remove the throbbing erection that lingered and persisted in his pants.

_Wonderful Jin, you are giving me a great opportunity to get under your skin. The closer you get to the girl, the closer I get to you._

Jin watched his father from a distance with glaring scepticism; he could not make out what the man was staring at him for and it was beginning to unnerve him being considering what a vulnerable position he was in, emotionally and physically.

"Jin…Jin…?" Xiaoyu tugged at his arm as she repeated herself for the third time, her new boyfriend gradually removed his eyes from Kazuya. "What are you looking at?"

Jin looked back at Xiaoyu and smiled apologetically, reaching out he brought the young woman closer to him. "Nothing."

As they enveloped one another again, Jin cast one more glance in the direction towards the balcony where Kazuya was sat upon and found the space empty, nervously he looked around before nuzzling back into the nape of Xioayu's neck.

"Jin?"

"Yes?"

"I'm so happy right now."

The tall Japanese man regarded this comment as he pondered over his father's appearance and mumbled. "Me too."

Over in the distance, on the balcony, the fighters had depleted the last of their drinks and the conversation began to wane. "Come on, we should go in now. It's getting late." Christie stood up and attempted to reach the stars in a therapeutic albeit it loud stretch. The Brazilian girl checked for phone for the time which was now early in the hours of the morning and tapped Hwoarang and Paul on the shoulders. "It's twenty to one; I'm going to go to sleep."

"I'll come with you." The blond male stood up and shook his shoulders in a bid to wake himself up. "I didn't realise how late it was getting. I need to get up early to train."

The two began to walk off and stopped to see Hwoarang staring at his adversary on the bridge, an ambiguous look upon his face.

"What's up pal?" Paul touched his shoulder, rousing the young man from his state. "It's getting late pal, what are you staring at?"

"Him." The Korean uttered in one syllable, looking back at the bridge where Jin and Xiaoyu were deep in conversation. "I hope he doesn't drop out after all this. I still need to fight him and prove I'm still the best out of the two of us."

"Why can't you just leave it?" Christie appeared at his other side and stroked his back gently. "You both need to move on at some stage. You can't keep on fighting one another forever, and what's so bad if he is happy and does move on?"

"It's not that. I want to defeat him without the use of his stupid 'Devil gene' and then, then I can be happy." Hwoarang took one last look at the pair before stepping ahead of Paul and Christie and heading back to the rooms.

Xiaoyu and Jin broke away from their conversation at the clanging sound of the outside doors and exchanged glances, waiting for the other to suggest they should go to sleep but it never came and instead Jin began to caress Xiaoyu's hand with forefinger and thumb. "May I kiss you again?"

Silently the Chinese woman craned her neck up towards him and swooned as his muscular frame engulfed her. Their mouths opened and danced around one another, exchanging saliva they moaned and clutched each other for purchase.

_I don't think I can hang on any longer. This girl is driving me wild. I need to though; otherwise she'll just think I'm using her for sex._

_Is it wrong I want him to take me to his room and ravish me? I should be stricter considering I've never done it before, but god it feels so right! I want to feel him on top of me; I want to feel him deep inside of me, I want to hear his sounds during love making, god I want so much!_

For ten minutes they sat deeply engrossed in their tender moment and when they broke apart they lay back on the bridge and sat listening to the crickets and watching the stars until the gems began to fade as a blanket of pale blue began to appear at the bottom of the horizon.

Jin looked across at the young woman who had been silent for several minutes to see her breathing gently in a quiet slumber. "Xiao…" She mumbled something incoherent about a panda and sighed before turning over on the hard wood. "Xiao…" Jin sat up; taking a long silky strand of her fringe he regarded her for a couple of seconds before placing his arms underneath her body and sweeping her up off the floor. Wincing as his wounded arm began to throb with the strain; Jin persevered through the flesh wound and carried the resting fighter through the hotel where she began to stir.

Xiaoyu groaned, opening her eyes groggily and feeling the momentum she squinted at Jin. "W-what's happening?" Attempting to move she went rigid as she realised Jin Kazama was carrying her up a flight of stairs, with a wounded arm no less. "Oh Jin, put me down I can walk!"

"That's okay, we're nearly here." Jin looked down at her and smiled before continuing to watch the path he was taking.

"But what about your arm?" Xiaoyu's eyes glistened with sleep as the moment stopped; she curled her head around in his arms to find they were outside her door. "Oh that was quick."

Jin placed her gently down on her feet, holding onto her till she found her balance. "Told you we were nearly there."

With her door unlocked, the new couple stood awkward as of how to end the night and settled with an embrace. "I'll see you tomorrow won't I?" Xiaoyu whispered eagerly, shying into the doorway for fear of waking anyone.

Jin knelt down and took one of her hands gently; pressing his warm lips against her soft skin he kissed her gently and whispered back. "Of course you will. You get some sleep now Xiao. Goodnight and sweet dreams." The dark eyed Japanese fighter rose to his feet, lifted one hand in farewell and departed down the corridor silently.

Xiaoyu leant on the doorframe with a smile and stroked the solid wood as she watched his silhouette ascended up the flight of stairs. "…goodnight Jin." Closing her door behind her, Xiaoyu fell into bed delirious with happiness and reflected on how wonderful things had gone that evening.

On the floor above Jin walked intently down the corridor and withdrew his key for the door. As he reached out to insert it he paused and turned around to look down the empty space. _It feels like I'm being watched…_ Scrutinising the corridor once more, he put his mind at rest and opened his door but before he entered, he cast one more lingering glance down the corridor and then shut the door firmly.

As the lock clicked a figure appeared from the dense shadows with their arms folded and stood silent for a few moments before gliding down the corridor.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Just got my copy of Tekken Tag, ooo! Sorry about the delayed chapter, life has been pretty hectic organising my wedding and doing uni work but here it is **_

* * *

It was 05:30 on the second day since the official opening of the tournament, when two forlorn figures gathered on the same bridge Jin Kazama and Ling Xiaoyu had occupied only an hour earlier. "Anna." Kazuya said icily, his eyes flickering over the revealing red attire that barely held her bosoms in place.

"Aww Kazuya, why so cold my love?" The brunette woman winked playfully at the man in a black suit with flashes of silky purple trimmings. "Considering I have come away from my very important training schedule to see you, I would expect you to be a little more gracious.""Don't make me laugh." His eyes glinted dangerously in the morning sun. "You would have come even if you had a match this very morning. We all know how important money is to you."

Anna pursed her lips and decided not to voice the words that rested in her throat. "…For the removal of your son in this tournament, I hope for a very high payment." She stroked her cheek with her long nails and smirked. "I don't 'hope', I expect."

"Yes, yes. You shall get your payment you wretched woman." Kazuya growled, he looked around the quiet area and saw dim lights begin to flicker across some of the rooms. "Perhaps we should talk in my room?"

"No. We talk here and now, so get it over with." Anna snapped back impatiently. "I do have a training schedule if you find that so hard to believe."

"Oh, I see…" Kazuya paced around an invisible confinement as he spoke. "Here I thought you enjoyed our love making the other day…"

"That wasn't anything less than rape and you know it." The woman's fists curled in rage by her side but she regained composure and merely stared at the man. "Get on with it."

Kazuya stopped pacing around and nodded, bringing the woman closer to him. "We both know that Jin will make it far in this tournament and so will I, if not, we can always make sure competitors can't attend the matches. So when we are to fight, you are to kidnap him so that no one shall suspect I have anything to do with it. If YOU are to be captured and tortured for the kiddnapping, which if you are as good an assassin as you are in bed WILL happen, you are to use someone else as a scapegoat and never mention that you and I have ever had this discussion."

Anna nodded solemnly. "I am not just kidnapping the man, I am to kill him?"

"You can try to kill him you stupid woman. You don't think I've already tried that?" Now Kazuya grew impatient and rolled his eyes at the interjections of Anna. "I don't care how you dispose of him…if you are successful that is, but I shall say do not taunt him, just destroy him. If necessary, take the Chinese girl with you and threaten to dispose of her."

"What?" Anna broke away from Kazuya and shook her head. "You mentioned nothing about taking anyone else. I want an extra 45% for the girl. One is not so bad, but to dispose of two..."

"Fine. You shall find the first third of your payment with a receptionist named Yuan at midday today." Kazuya began to walk off the bridge. "Don't fuck this up Anna; otherwise it's your head I shall be coming for."

* * *

Xiaoyu lay peacefully in bedroom, watching the sunlight pierce the curtains and pour into the room through drowsy eyes. She was aware it nearly ten in the morning and was wasting precious training time by being in bed, but she was still recapping the events of the early morning with her new boyfriend, Jin Kazama which still astounded her. Yes, she said it: Jin Kazama, HER new boyfriend.

Sighing happily she grasped at one of her pillows and held it tightly in her fists, rocking it contently until an abrupt knock at the door took her away from her imaginary cuddle with substitute pillow Jin. "Who is it?" Xiaoyu called out anxiously, her stomach swirling at the prospect of it being the real Jin. Instead, Christie and Julia cried out happily from the door and banged nosily with their fists. "LET US IN!"

"I'm coming…" The small Chinese woman groaned as she heaved herself out of bed and wrapped a blue yin-yang dressing gown around her body. "I said I'm coming!" When opened the door she was met by her two friends grinning sheepishly, staring at them uncertainly she ushered them in her room.

"Have you just woken up!?" Christie grinned as she jumped around in her usual fighting outfit, peering into the bathroom for any sign of another person. "No sign of Jinny boy?"

Xiaoyu smiled playfully as she brushed her long jet black hair. "No, it's a bit early to be spending the night one another don't you think?"

"It was worth a try Christie." Julia laughed as Xiaoyu struck her across the face with a cushion from the chair. "Hey! What was that for!?"

"You mean the only reason you two came up was to try and catch Jin and I in bed together?" The Chinese girl caught the cushion that Julia threw back at her. "I know that wasn't the only reason, but no, I certainly want to take things at a pace that suits us both. After waiting this long I don't want to ruin things now." Xiaoyu peeled off her dressing gown and made her way to the bathroom. "I'm just going to have a shower, but I can still talk to you both."

Christie and Julia perched on the edge of the bed and gasped as Xiaoyu stripped herself of all clothing and hopped into the shower. "What? We're all girls; we have the same bits and bobs just different shapes and sizes…"

When Xiaoyu drew the shower curtains the two girls smirked at one another. "True. I don't think we quite expected you to just bare all though." Julia stood up and began picking up Xiaoyu's dirty clothing and putting it in the available laundry bin. "So you and Jin looked quite cosy on the bridge last night."

"We just talked that's all…and had a few kisses, but nothing else." Xiaoyu's voiced murmured through the noise of pounding water.

"No plans for anything else?" Christie straightened the bedding up and laughed as Julia mumbled something about Snow White's animals.

It took Xiaoyu a few moments to answer the question as she rinsed shampoo out of her hair. "Plans for what, sex?" She squirted shower gel onto her skin and began to massage as she heard the other two sniggered at her innocence. "I've no plans, it just happens when it does providing it's when we both feel the time is right."

"I wish I felt like that." Christie gave a short run up to Xiaoyu's bed and somersaulted onto it, bouncing as high as she could without cracking her head on the ceiling. "I think you'll like sex Xiaoyu, I hear it's best when you wait to be with someone you love. Come on Julia, this is fun."

"What's fun?" Xiaoyu asked herself. When she finished, Xiaoyu turned off the tap and wrapped a towel around her before pulling back the shower curtain to see her two grown friends squealing with laughter as they pawed at one another mid-air. "What're you doing to my bed!? You made my room just to trash it again!?"

"Put some clothes on Xiaoyu so we can get out and train!" Christie ignored the question and continued to bounce like a child whilst Julia leapt off the bed in one graceful stride. "We can't have you missing out on training because you're getting shacked up with lover boy now can we?"

Xiaoyu smiled as she began to moisturise her legs and face. "Where on earth do you come up with these things?"

* * *

Jin finished applying the finishing touches to his hair and was pleased when his attempted ruffling did nothing to destroy the shape. After a shower and another battle with his frustrated member which resulted in a cold shower, Jin swung his training bag over his shoulder and finally opened his door at 10:18.

"JIN! Asuka waved at the end of the corridor. "Are you just getting up!? What kind of example is that to other people!?"

"That I like to sleep and I can?" Jin shrugged as he crossed her on the corridor and sighed as he felt her chasing at his heels. "What do you want?"

"Train with me." Asuka said suddenly, pulling in front of him and stretching her arms to block his path.

Her cousin regarded her for a moment before looking at the flight of stairs. "Fine. Go ahead without me. I need to do something but I'll come soon, how's that?" Jin left for the stairs with his cousin staring bewildered at his gesture.

"What on earth is he saying 'How's that'?" Asuka repeated stunned.

The young Kazama arrived on the third floor and paced steadily to the door he knew was Xiaoyu's room. As he wrapped his knuckles on the door he heard a sudden outburst of laughter from two or three voices from behind the door and felt his ears redden.

"It's Jin…what do I do?"

"Ask him if he carries condoms." A ushered voice said.

"Ask him if they're extra-large." Another voice whispered.

"Why don't you two shut the fuck up for one minute!?"

"How about step away from the door and whisper that instead?" Jin replied loudly in amusement as the Chinese woman squeaked in shock.

The door unlocked quickly Xiaoyu appeared in her orange training clothes smiling for a brief moment. "Good morning Jin." Her smile disappeared as her two friends cooed mockingly from inside and began to say to one another in goofy voice "Ooo good morning Jin…."

"Erm, morning Xiao." Jin ran one hand roughly through his hair and willed the creeping red hue to disappear from his face as Xiao turned around and told the pair off. "I just came round wondering if you were up and wanted to go train together…but I see you're…busy?"

"Busy?" Xiaoyu peered over her shoulder at the two women giggling like adolescent teenagers and brought the door to a close. "Sorry about them. No, no I'm not busy."

"Then would you like to train for a while?"

"Certainly." Xiaoyu regarded the thick bandage on his arm and felt the overwhelming sense of guilt as she remembered him carrying her hours before. "How's your arm?"

"It stings but it'll heal." He told her as she opened the door and took her training from inside the corner of the room. "Are you ready?"

"Yup." Xiaoyu peered into the room. "I know you two were listening by the door so let yourselves out when you're done. I have the key."

"I need to spar with Asuka for a few minutes as I said I would. After that I'm all yours." Jin reached out and took the younger girls hand as she allowed a smile to creep in the corner of her mouth.

When they reached the extensive gym packed full of friendly and unfamiliar faces, Jin and Xiaoyu settled in one of the corners with Asuka. Together the three warmed up when they were joined by Christie and Julia who followed their lead and warmed up as the three cooled down.

Asuka stood a distance from her cousin and shook her limbs loosely before mashing her two fists painfully together. "C'mon!"

Silently Jin crept up on her and their legs and arms were raised in defensive stances until Jin grappled her and kicked at her knees so her legs buckled underneath her. Assisting the shocked woman off the floor he placed her roughly on her feet and made his way to his own starting point.

"I'm not going to fall for that one again." Asuka warned sternly, conscious of the new fighters who had broken off their training regime to watch a classic fighter in action. Heading into her cousin once more she threw a punch over the graceful curve of her back which struck the muscular man in the square chest and lifted one foot up that connected with the bottom of his jaw: his body lifted slightly and he landed unsteadily on his feet, staring bewildered at her.

"That move…" He began, raising his arms in defence as several punches rained upon him. "My mother had a technique similar to that."

"Well, I am a Kazama after all." Asuka gleamed, throwing one punch more casually at him. Crying slightly she felt his strength once more as he held onto her and knocked her feet beneath her once more.

"You talk too much." Jin watched the teenager beneath her and felt a gush of memories from his youth of his mother teaching him.

Asuka brushed herself down and shied as some of the fighters whispered to one another. "Y-you mentioned your mother so I felt inclined to answer!"

Xiaoyu watched the gesticulating girl and tapped Jin on the shoulder. "Can I spar with you now?"

"You can have him. He's slimy like a snake…talking then beating you up and then telling YOU off for talking…" The female Kazama nursed her ego as she muttered under her breath and sulkily joined Christie and Julia before they began their own workout.

"You okay?" Xiaoyu placed a hand gently on Jin's chest and inspected his jaw. "You looked surprised when she cracked you in the face…"

The twenty one year old rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It's nothing; she just used a move I recall my mother knowing…anyway, shall we continue?"

Xiaoyu nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, lets."

Despite knowing she was a competent and skilled fighter, he smirked and prepared to land softer punches and purposefully slow down his responses: something he regretted instantly. New boyfriend or not, he found himself on the floor three times within the first five minutes and the sniggers of fighters in the background as she cooed at him. "Have you had enough, Jin?"

A crimson hue spread across his face and sulkily he pulled himself off the floor, knocking aside Xiaoyu's offering hand. "Going easy was a mistake I won't make again."

At dinner time, when other fighters were heading off for food, the spar had turned in a competitive match that neither was prepared to lose until Jin attempted to grab Xiaoyu: she used her agile skills to reverse the grip and suddenly felt searing pain in her chest.

Jin removed his hand involuntarily as if he had touched a hot pan and felt his ears reddened. "Oh shit, Xiaoyu I'm so sorry."

"Ouch." She hissed and groped one of her breasts, hoping that squashing it to her chest would reduce pain. "Did you just grab my boob!?"

"I-it was an accident! I-I didn't mean to, I just meant to try grab you and you moved and so I grabbed, so technically, yes-" The young man flustered, unsure of how to comfort his girlfriend.

"It's okay, it's okay." Xiaoyu smiled as she rubbed her chest. "It just really hurt that's all. Was it because I didn't go soft on you?"

"What!? No!"

"I'm playing with you Jin. I've never seen you like this so I've got to play it a little." She winked as his shoulders relaxed and uncertain smile tried to appear on his face. "I know it was an accident otherwise I feel sorry for all the girls you've been with if you grabbed their chest like that."

Julia and Christie laughed behind them. "Right guys we're going to go to lunch, are you coming?"

Xiaoyu nodded. "Yeah, sure."

"Actually," Jin placed a hand timidly on her shoulder. "I was thinking perhaps we could go out for something together?"

"Like a date?" The Brazian girl cheered from the doorway in the room.

"Something like that, yes, hence why you're not getting an invite." Jin said seriously as Xiaoyu giggled at Christie's shocked face at his honesty. "See you after lunch."

The training room was now empty of all but Nina and Yoshimitsu who quietly completed their regimes and paid no due attention to Jin and Xiaoyu. "I was thinking after we get changed we could explore the city and find somewhere to eat?" Jin suggested as he took her hand, watching in his peripheral vision as Xiaoyu massaged her chest one last time.

"I like the sound of that."

* * *

Through the throng of people Jin struggled to keep up with Xiaoyu as she weaved excitedly to look at Japanese and western clothes modelled in shop windows. Occasionally she would wait a few moments for him to give her a reprimanding look before dashing across the street to look at more displays in a flash of long black hair. "Xiao, wait up!"

When Jin finally caught up with her gazing happily at a pair of pink and black peep toe heels he took her hand to keep track on her. "Stop running off, I keep losing you."

Xiaoyu had her black hair loose and sleek down her back which Jin had to say, preferred: she wore white linen pants and a cute pink floral blouse with her usual pink accessories. "Oh." The Chinese woman smiled sheepishly. "I guess I got carried away, sorry. I've never actually looked around the city because I'm always at the tournament."

"I don't want to go around the high street shouting "Ling-Xiaoyu!" when the Iron Fist Tournament is on." Jin pulled on his navy blue jeans that hung loosely around his hips: he liked his jeans quite loose despite Heihachi's many scolding about showing underwear and even now he could see two high schoolers behind Xiao blush as they caught a glimpse of his grey underwear band underneath his grey t-shirt that strained around the sleeves as his muscular biceps struggled to break free.

"Jin, loads of people have been filming us since we came here." Xiaoyu raised an eyebrow at the man's fault in usual keen observation skills.

"Have they?" The tall Japanese man turned round to be met with a group of people raising their phones and cameras. Slowly he raised a hand in a shy gesture and turned back to Xiaoyu. "I get your point…but instead of looking at clothes shouldn't we get something to eat?" Gently he took her hand and began to walk down the street, ignoring the gasps and flashes of them.

"Er, Jin, is this a good idea?" Xiaoyu blushed. "People will talk."

He shrugged nonchalantly and almost, quite merrily, Xiaoyu thought. "Fine. Let them talk. They'd have to find out sooner or later, right?"

Most of the shops or restaurants were either busy or did not look appealing to them, and after twenty minutes the pair were beginning to feel aches in their stomachs. Suddenly, a young boy of ten approached them with his mother calling behind him; the child stopped in front of them and cried out happily whilst holding a pen and tournament flyer in his small fingers. "Will you sign this!?"

Xiaoyu beamed happily at Jin and nudged him playfully with her hand as he glared at the child. "Er, sure, I guess…"

"No!" The boy gesticulated in an over exaggerated manner which caused the twenty one year old fighter to flinch away at the high pitched word. "I want Ling-Xiaoyu to sign!" Xiaoyu giggled at the offended but startled expression on Jin's face and took the pen and flyer for a moment. As she signed her name, the boy looked at Jin smugly. "She's my girlfriend!"

"Yes…I'm sure she is kid…" Jin muttered and glanced at the mother who nervously took her boys hand who gleefully took back the signed flyer and thrust it up to her. '_Fat chance you little snot nosed brat, she's mine!'_

"Yes, that's very nice Tseng." The mother looked apologetically at the two. "I'm so sorry about that, my son watches old re-runs with his father and has always liked you."

"You're so pretty!" Tseng cried joyfully, bouncing up and down on the spot as his mother's hand pulled him firmly to the floor.

"I was wondering…" The mother lingered her gaze over Jin and withdrew her phone coyly. "If I could have a picture with you?"

Jin glanced over at Xiaoyu and nodded begrudgingly. "Yeah, alright."

As she handed the phone over to the female fighter, Xiaoyu could see the anticipation in the woman's eyes as she brushed her clothing with Jin. "You're a lot taller than I thought you would be!" She bit her lip as she engraved his side profile forever in her memory. "And a lot muscular too - you're almost popping out of that top! I hope your arm is okay." Sliding her arm round Jin's waist, she beamed happily as the phone clicked and stood in a trance until Xiaoyu approached her with her phone, clearly unimpressed by the blatant flirtation. "Oh, thank you very much! I can't wait to show the girls at work. Come on Tseng, we should head on home."

"I hate fans." Jin merely stated as they watched the mother and son walk down the street.

"I thought you'd have loved all the female attention like you loved the class mate's attention." Xiaoyu teased, waving one last time to the boy before they vanished round a corner.

Jin rolled his eyes. "Will you let that go? And before you ask, no, I haven't slept with a fan."

"Just checking." Xiaoyu winked playfully.

Interlacing fingers they trudged on down the street until a western restaurant captured Xiaoyu's attention and an unsure Jin. When they were greeted and seated, they both eagerly took hold of the menus given to them: Xiaoyu ordered a coke and Jin a European lager.

After much debate to herself, Xiaoyu perked up. "What do you suppose a Calzone is?"

Sipping the froth off the head of his beer, Jin glanced at his own menu. "It's Italian…I'm pretty sure it's a pizza turned in on itself."

"Why not just serve a normal pizza? What about 'Toad-in-the-hole?' That one just sounds silly."

"That's an English dish: its sausages surrounded by Yorkshire pudding mixture."

"Yuck…What a silly name."

Jin laughed to himself as she stuck her small pink tongue out of her mouth and shook her head in repugnance. "Why don't you try the Cottage Pie?"

"Go on then…."

Over the meal they discussed who they thought was going to be defeated in the preliminaries and who would pose a real threat to them, the reasons why a Calzone is called a Calzone and how both of them enjoyed the night before. When they asked for the bill, Jin footed its entirety and suggested Xiaoyu leave the tip to calm her insistence.

Instead of coming back the way they came, they accidentally entered the local park that was large in size and filled with various scenic and recreational implements. Silently they walked side by side holding one another's hand to the amazement of some of the public.

"How is your arm?" Xiaoyu asked casually as a horde of ducks glided vocally on the pond.

Jin glanced down at the thick white bandage. "Still stinging, but it's fine. I probably shouldn't have got it wet in the shower."

They stopped in the middle of an arched bridge and rested against the wooden bannisters watching the world go by.

"Jin…" Xiaoyu said quietly, moving closer to him so their skin touched. "Can I ask you to do something for me?"

The man became alert suddenly, wondering why after her breezy attitude she had become so serious and clear his throat. "Yes, what is it?"

"I want you to look after yourself."

Jin turned to face his new girlfriend with a puzzled expression. "What's made you say that Xiao?"

"The whole revenge with your family and their blood you want to spill. It scares me how you can say it so seriously and without caring." She buried her face into his large chest and held his waist. "I don't want to you to get hurt. I care about you too much."

"Xiao…" He whispered, holding her head closely by his chest. "This is something I must do. I know it's an ugly thing to say, but since my mother disappeared I've stopped caring…maybe you can change my negative views on life…"

Xiaoyu peeked up cutely from his top and smiled at his last words. "You think so?"

He placed his hand gently underneath her jawline and inclined her head up so their eyes met; silently he brought his other hand up to cup her face. "I know so." Lightly, he brushed his lips against hers that parted breathlessly in anticipation and surrender. Jin passionately worked her lips with his own until they were moist and gradually probed his tongue insider her mouth, hearing her moan in pleasure, and cradled her face in small caressing motions.

Xiaoyu felt light headed; his taste was warm and sweet; his fingers working delicately upon her face and the sudden stiffens below his waist made her own orifice dampen in an equal expectation and excitement they both knew they should not fulfil.

* * *

"Oh my god, where are those two!?" Christie shrieked at Julia as the reception filled with fighters pushing one another to look at the match line ups that had been plastered onto the wall. "Xiaoyu is fighting Lee tomorrow! I bet she'll be excited to hear."

"I know, I know!" Julia squeaked looking at the line ups. "I'm going to lose for sure!"

The preliminaries spanned over a four day period and consisted of a morning match and an evening match that would take place at 11:00 and 19:30. There were a few unknown fighters that had managed to leak their way into the tournament, but it was predominately 'classic' fighters.

Amongst the rabble becoming louder and louder came Hwoarang shouting victoriously and punching the air. "YES! I've worked out I can verse Kazama!"

"Good for you, but who am I up against!?" Paul elbowed the Korean out of the way and made his way to the front of the poster before dropping his jaw. "Aww, Steve? You got to be kidding me!"

The British fighter nodded solemnly from behind where Christie and Julia were. "It is a bugger, dude. As long as one of us makes it through to split the prize money I don't care…only because I know it's going to be me."

"You wish." Paul snorted and scanned the paper that leaked onto two sheets thanks to the small pictures of fighters. "Look at that. Who has their picture taken with a hood on? The moron."

Steve lent over the crowded fighters to see the image. "Probably someone who won't last long up against Yoshi."

"This is nice." Xiaoyu stretched in a feline manner, curling her arms behind her head to mimic Jin who lay pleasantly relaxed beside her. The pair had broken apart from their kiss, both with lingering satisfaction, and decided to continue their walk until Jin suggested they sit under a canopy of pink cherry blossom trees in a small nook of the park where no one would disturb them. "You always use to sit under them at school too."

"Oh, you noticed that?" Jin looked across from her with a slight smile and turned back to stare at the clouds sailing breezily past. "I use to sit under them with my mother and she would tell me stories. They remind me of a happy childhood."

Xiaoyu turned on her side to get a better view of his wistful expression. "I knew you were going to say something like that."

Looking at her, Jin eyes raked over the gentle curves of her slender body before meeting her eyes with ambivalence. "Sorry…does it bore you when I talk about my mother?"

"No, no. In fact, I love it when you talk about your Mum. Your expression softens and you seem to more at peace with yourself." Xiaoyu reached out tentatively and brushed one of her slim fingers against his rough face. For some reason, the feeling surprised her, and then she remembered he would obviously shave like any other male. "You look…kinda sexy."

Jin smirked and looked at Xiaoyu. "It's a little wrong to get into a romantic mood by thinking of my mother, isn't it?"

"OH! Not like that!" She slapped him playfully across the chest as he laughed at her. "It's just nice seeing you looking happy."

"I'm very happy at the minute." Jin took her hand and placed it on his chest, noticing how her fingers flexed to grope the hard muscles underneath his clothing.

"Can I ask you a question…?"

"Sure."

Xiaoyu moved her hand and switched to lying on her stomach so she could get a better look at her boyfriend. Still coming to terms she could actually call him her own, finally. "When did you first…notice me?"

"Erm, I'd say a few days into school when some guys were abusing this kitten and its mum near the smoker's corner." Jin smiled at her puzzled expression and elaborated further. "I was going to intervene myself when all of a sudden this squeaky Chinese girl rushed past me and cracked one of them up the backside with her foot and took on all three of them on her own. It really impressed me."

"Really? I remember that as well. I hate bullies." Xiaoyu said firmly.

"I know, and it takes a lot of courage to stand up to people like that."

Xiaoyu nodded momentarily before taking a deep breath. "If you liked me at school, why did you go with all of those other girls?"

The dark haired male looked into her deep brown eyes before looking up at the clouds. "I honestly thought you would have heard from other girls what I was like, so you wouldn't have taken me seriously."

"That's not why you did it though."

"No…I did it because I was a frustrated teenager with problems and instead of turning to drink and drugs like some do, I had lots of pointless and meaningless one night stands. It's not a side of me I'm proud of." He stroked her face seriously and sighed at her sadden expression. "I'm only human, Xiao. I would never treat you like that and I would never pressure you into sex until we're both ready."

Xiaoyu smiled and held his hand by her face gently. "Good. I want my first time to memorable, but to tell you the truth…I've been ready with you for a long time."

"First time!?" Jin gawped at her as she blushed. "Sorry, that's just surprised me. Not many hot nineteen year olds can still call themselves…unspoilt." Propping himself up on his elbows, Jin thought quietly for a few seconds. "You can't say you've been ready for a long time Xiao. Virginity is something precious if you've kept it this long."

Xiaoyu leant over and pecked his cheek tenderly. "I'd say three years is a long time, wouldn't you?"

"…You haven't been saving yourself for me all this time, have you?" Jin asked nervously.

A clock in the distance began to chime four times which startled the young woman and she bolted energetically to her feet. "It's four o'clock Jin! We've hardly done any training today. Let's go!"

The couple headed back up the plaza holding hands and nodding politely to those taking their pictures. All the while the same thought repeated itself through their minds.

_How can I live up to the expectations of three years…?_

* * *

Tseng sat in the living room patiently awaiting his father to return home from work as he knew his mother had put the T.V on to pacify him whilst she made dinner. During the introduction credits to his favourite cartoon he heard the front door open and close and rushed into the kitchen to catapult himself into his father's legs.

"DAD! GUESS WHO WE SAW TODAY!?"

The father looked puzzled at his wife who excitedly began rooting in her handbag for her phone and ruffled his son's hair. "Who did you see Tseng?"

"LING-XIAOYU!"

"Haha…I thought we said we would only watch the Iron Fist together?" He grinned as his wife came to the side of him with her phone.

"No!" Tseng jumped up in the air. "I got her autograph and Mum got a photo with Jin Kazama! Well good day!" The ten year old scurried off upstairs to proudly show off his autograph that had now crumpled with much handling.

"Did you really!?" The husband and father said astonished as his wife nodded and clicked on the picture with her and the acclaimed fighter. "Wow, that is incredible! What was he like?"

"Dreamy…"

"Wait. What's this…?" His wife loomed over the picture as he frowned. Pressing two fingers on the screen to enlarge it, his eyes widened at the figure stood in the distance with the moving crowd: it was a dark haired woman in white staring at them. "Holy shit…is that…Jun Kazama…?"


End file.
